The Emmy-nominated Teen Talk Productions is devoted to giving a meaningful and powerful radio/media voice to urban 'at risk' youth. All of our students are from the the many neighborhoods of NYC. Teen Talk Productions is a senior internship of West Side High School(WSHS).

Susan Mondzak started Teen Talk Productions in 1990 with guidance provided by Edward A. Reynolds, the Principal of West Side High School of the NYC Empowerment Zone. Teen Talk was originally sited at 127th/ Park Ave. within PRACA, an OES site at IS 201. What originally was a basic video and radio program that had limited access to the public, Teen Talk grew to a program that had 'live' teen radio on Tuesdays and Thursdays broadcast from WNYE 91.5 FM and taped teen radio shows broadcast from WHCR 90.3 FM on Mondays. When WNYE had a change in ownership and no longer consistantly supported the Teen Talk kids and programming, Teen Talk moved to Manhattan, back to 140 W. 102nd Street. Our next move will be to the new media center at City College, hopefully 2009.

Teen Talk has two components, the primary program 'TEEN TALK RADIO / TV' being centered at West Side HS. This internship program, with 12 interns from West Side HS produces the TV shows, 2 radio shows per month and 4 video productions per year.

The EDP Violence Prevention Grant from the New York State Department of Education funds the EDP Teen Talk Program which this year is funding 9 high schools that are participating at the Educational Video Center and The Women's Project Theater Program.

What we feel makes TEEN TALK PRODUCTIONS different from many other media projects for teens is that ALL productions are student-driven. Students are the source of the topics that evolve into radio and TV shows. Students do the research, choose the guests, write the questions and make it happen. We have won 'PASS' Awards for Teen Media, radio and TV competitions, over the years. What makes us really proud is the number of Teen Talk students who became communications/media majors in college and have found success.