Students at Eliot-Hine Middle School in Northeast D.C. are learning a lot beyond the traditional math, science and language arts courses; many are becoming published journalists, producers, and hosts with famous interviewees such as multi-hyphenate artist Phylicia Rashad.
“Before the interview with Ms. Rashad I was nervous because she’s such a big deal, but I also had faith in myself because we practiced for such a long time,” said sixth-grader Kodi Debnam, after interviewing Rashad on Eliot Hine Network Podcast. “I was so shocked I was going to breathe the same air as her. I was so excited.”
Debnam, 11, wasn’t the only person excited. For Mandrell Birks, who has managed the radio and television curriculum at Eliot-Hine since it was created in 2010, booking Rashad was a major milestone for the network, which he says is solely run by the middle school students.
“We interview a large amount of celebrities and political figures,” Birks told The Informer, “but this was a huge figure in the entertainment industry.”
During the podcast, Rashad, widely known for her role as Claire Huxtable on “The Cosby Show” (1984-1992), spoke to the students about her youth, inspiration behind her work, and goals for the future.
“My mother, Vivian Ayers, was a poet, a scholar and a cultural activist. I watched my mother do things that no one taught her how to do. And what I learned from my mother was that my very being, my own self is my greatest resource. You have to be able to use your imagination,” she said during the podcast. “You have to be able to use your goodwill. Life is not a textbook exercise. Although textbooks do come in handy.”
Like Rashad, Birks highlighted the benefits of hands-on learning, considering such opportunities like Eliot Hine Network.
“I feel it’s important to introduce them to this field so they know that… mass media can be an option,” he said.
The actor, director, arts educator and mother shared the inspiration behind her longtime career in the arts, and emphasized that success is about always working to evolve and grow.
“I was learning all the time that money was never the goal. Money was never the goal. The goal was to be creative, to be authentic, and to share,” she said. “I’m still learning because I’ve become a director, and I’ve directed quite a few theatrical productions. And just this fall, I directed my first episodic television with an episode of ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’ So I’m still learning and I’m still becoming.”