The United States has a relatively short, but very complicated history. It’s near impossible for the average person to keep up with the countless battles, declarations and documents. This is why Ladue High School AP US History teachers Mike Hill, Zach Garrison and Riley Keltner teamed up to create an accessible solution to learning US history: a podcast.
The podcast named APUSH for All was originally created with students in mind. The teachers were aiming to create a fun and engaging way for kids to learn.
“The goal is to help all APUSH students, but also help adults who want to learn more about American history,” Keltner said. “Hence the name – APUSH for All.”
The episodes are geared more towards expanding upon the curriculum students learn in class and helping them study for the AP test at the end of the school year.
“We have had 5 episodes so far,” Keltner said. “The first was on American imperialism and our most recent one was on the culture of the 1920s.”
The podcast has received a lot of positive feedback. Kids are starting to enjoy history and enjoy learning what has gotten the country to where it is today. However, it’s not only the listeners that are benefitting from the podcast.
“For me, it feels so natural, credit to my colleagues, to talk about history,” Hill said. “Whatever might be going on in the outside world, this has been a much needed creative outlet. I always feel amazing when we leave the studio after recording.”
The podcast itself is recorded in a recording booth where the teachers divide up responsibility on who manages each of the bits and bobs of production. With the assistance of technology expert Marti Davidson, the podcast comes to life.
“We use the Garage Band app,” Hill said. “Dr. Garrison generates a script and shares it with Ms. Keltner and I. We then make additions/deletions, and try to add our own personality to the discussion. Finally, Ms. Keltner edits and cleans it up into the product that people hear.”
Even though the process to get the episodes out to the world is tedious and not without its challenges, there is no complicated filming or videos.
“Although we are extraordinarily beautiful people, there is no filming,” Hill said. “Just three people in a recording booth, three mics and the truth (at least our interpretation of it).”
