Throughout November, students in Mrs. Carlson’s freshman English Honors class were assigned to create a podcast about asylum seekers coming to The United States. Students based their podcast discussions on one of the 4 narratives they read: American Street by Ibi Zoboi, Far Away Brothers by Lauren Markham, Butterfly Yellow by Thanhha La, and From Here by Luma Mufleh. The different stories were fiction and nonfiction and explored many perspectives of people making their way to The United States. Additionally, all the students read the Portland Press Herald’s series “Long Way Home,” about new Mainers, as well as The Atlantic’s “Seventy Miles in Hell,” about crossing the Darien Gap. Students participated in book groups and Socratic seminars before creating a podcast about their learning. Podcasts were made up of people from different book groups, providing differing perspectives. Take a listen!

Click here to listen to the “American Dream” podcast by Elliot, Emma, Max, Mia, and Wren

Click here to listen to the “Borderless Stories” podcast by Bridget, Cameron, Catie, James, Kai, and Natalie

Click here to listen to the “New Roots” podcast by Ayla, Caroline, Emily, Gwen, and Jay