WTCI is pleased to announce its flagship program, Raise Your Hand, will broadcast a special series of episodes in partnership with local poetry organization, Rhyme N Chatt.
This innovative series features local children’s and young adult authors, paired with local poets. The special series, titled Raise Your Voice, encourages viewers to use reading text as a way to inspire the creative process. Each segment begins with an introduction to acquaint viewers with the texts and themes, and concludes with a prompt for viewers to create their own stories or poems and submit for feedback.
Authors share their work and discuss the theme of their book, ranging from friendship to self-confidence to letting our feelings show. Poets then composed a signature piece, inspired by the author’s work, matching the theme in poetic composition. The goal of the show is to inspire viewers to read and write not only for education and entertainment, but also as a way to engage with our shared community.
Raise Your Voice celebrates National Poetry Month in April. This special series includes nine author-poet segments, to be released each Tuesday and Wednesday in April on WTCI-Educate’s YouTube channel. Segments will be paired and broadcast on channel 45.4 every Thursday at 10 a.m. in April.
Created and taught by local community members, Raise Your Hand is the flagship series of WTCI, engaging all age groups from early learners to young adults in educational content from math, music, literacy, college readiness, storytelling, science, and more. Initiated during the pandemic for teachers to help students learn from home, the show has transformed. WTCI Educate encourages students at any age to think globally, learn locally.
First organized in 1999, Rhyme N Chatt Interactive Poetry Organization (RNC) is one of Chattanooga’s historic institutions where poets are challenged to express themselves, providing a safe place for poetry to be shared and discussed, valuing people and their unique creativity. Rhyme N Chatt takes pride in welcoming new poets and those interested in starting the artform. Members of Rhyme N Chatt often cite the organization as the first place they openly shared their poetry, feeling unjudged and supported within the safe and friendly atmosphere.
WTCI Educate broadcasts engaging local and national content, created by teachers, students and community leaders. WTCI Educate acknowledges that many students and families do not have access to digital technology for free, educational resources, particularly in areas of concentrated poverty and rural communities, WTCI Educate is designed to support educational equity efforts by amplifying and widely sharing opportunities, resources and programming, created by and with our local community.
Find WTCI Educate on channel 45.4, EPB 304, or on YouTube.