Youth Takeover ProgramYouth Takeover Program

Students have a lot to say, and KQED wants to share their voices with an audience beyond the classroom. The Youth Takeover program is a unique year-long experience where KQED partners with high school classrooms from nine Bay Area counties to help students produce audio feature stories destined for KQED’s broadcast, podcast and online programming—including shows like Perspectives, Forum, Political Breakdown, Rightnowish and other local favorites.

Browse the showcase of student pieces from all years of Youth Takeover and meet the 2024-25 KQED Youth Takeover teachers.

Applications for the 2025-26 teacher cohort will open in late April 2025. Participating teachers receive individualized production support in media-making by KQED’s Youth Media team.

Applications for the 2025-26 Youth Advisory Board will open in late April.  YAB members produce content that airs during Youth Takeover Week.

Not in the Bay Area but want to participate? You can bring Youth Takeover to your classroom with the Youth Media Challenge.

Questions? Please email the Youth Media team at youthmedia@kqed.org.