East Panhandle Times

Berkeley County Schools has announced the launch of a new monthly podcast titled "BCS Unplugged." The podcast aims to discuss significant topics related to the district's schools, providing insights and updates from school leaders and educators.

The initiative is spearheaded by Tyler Hawn, Assistant Director of the Department of Communications. Hawn, who has a background in broadcasting and media, envisioned starting a podcast as part of his long-term goals upon joining Berkeley County Schools. He expressed that while some impactful stories lack visual elements, they can still be effectively communicated through audio.

“There are some things we do, where the visuals might not be there, but they can still make an impact,” Hawn stated. “So, we started thinking about other ways we can share these stories without worrying about getting pictures or video content. Creating a podcast seemed like a great way to do just that.”

Hawn is deeply connected to Berkeley County as he grew up there and graduated from Hedgesville High School. His commitment to sharing teachers' contributions through storytelling is evident in his approach to the podcast.

“I want to amplify those voices and show the community how invested our teachers are in helping our students,” he said.

Hawn analyzes social media interactions for Berkeley County Schools and identified parents aged 25 to 55 as their primary audience—a demographic that frequently listens to podcasts. Through "BCS Unplugged," he intends to engage this group more comprehensively than social media allows.

“Media consumption has evolved,” Hawn explained. “We’ve gone from old-school newspapers to social media to podcasts. There is no one size fits all, so to reach as many people as possible, we have to use a lot of diverse forms of media. As people in communications, it’s our job to keep up.”

The first episode will feature discussions with Dr. Tyler Long, Principal of Tuscarora Elementary School, and Melissa Hollen, Pupil Services Coordinator. They will explore Berkeley County Schools’ Collaborative Action Response for Education Success (CARES) Academy.

Future episodes may cover topics such as bond project updates and school safety initiatives. The aim is for monthly releases with potential for increased frequency based on community response. Interested listeners can find "BCS Unplugged" on the App Store or Google Play following its initial release.