Producer and host Robert Drake leads Kent County High School students on a tour of Philadelphia radio station WXPN's studios during a field trip Friday, March 31.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — It was field trip years in the making when about 20 Kent County High School students boarded a Philadelphia-bound bus Friday, March 31.
The students are all members of the broadcasting Career and Technical Education pathway at the high school.
Local radio listeners likely recognize them as the voices of 90.5 FM WKHS.
In addition to student and volunteer DJs from the community, the high school's radio station partners with WXPN out of Philadelphia for on-air programming.
WXPN is where the high school students finally got to visit March 31 with WKHS station manager and broadcasting teacher Chris Singleton, funds manager Ken Collins and volunteer DJ Mike Martinez.
"The trip to WXPN was a great way for the WKHS students to actually see what a future in broadcasting could offer," Collins said. "The staff was both informative and engaging and held the interest of all the students throughout the visit."
The field trip has long been a goal of Singleton and Collins. Just when they had it first lined up a few years ago, COVID struck and put the trip on hold.
Having finally made the visit a reality March 31, the Kent County High School students toured the WXPN facilities with producer and DJ Robert Drake.
The students got to see the broadcast booths and recording studios. They got to check out the production equipment and learn about video production at WXPN, as well.
They heard stories about the WXPN's early home on the historic University of Pennsylvania campus, where squirrels were known to literally drop in on the studios during recording sessions.
Topping it all off, the Kent County High School students attended WXPN's weekly Free at Noon concert next door at World Cafe Live. Past artists in the concert series have included Adele and Brandi Carlile.
For the March 31 field trip, the musical act happened to be the masked art rock band the Residents, providing an unforgettable experience for the students.
The identity of the band members has remained a mystery for their more than 50 years together.
"I was really impressed by the kids on the trip. They were well behaved and respectful," said Martinez, who hosts the Southern Star Country Club show on WKHS. "From my point of view, the students of the radio class have set the standard."
Kent County High School broadcasting students and their teachers visit WXPN in Philadelphia Friday, March 31. The high school radio station 90.5 FM WKHS partners with WXPN for on-air programming.
WXPN's Robert Drake talks about the Philadelphia radio station's history to visiting broadcasting students from Kent County High School.
Producer and host Robert Drake leads Kent County High School students on a tour of Philadelphia radio station WXPN's studios during a field trip Friday, March 31.
Kent County High School broadcasting students visit the WXPN recording studio in Philadelphia Friday, March 31, with producer and host Robert Drake, left, leading the tour.
On a field trip to WXPN in Philadelphia Friday, March 31, Kent County High School broadcasting students learned about how the radio station also incorporates video production for events such as the free concert the crew was setting the stage for.
As part of a field trip to Philadelphia radio station WXPN, the broadcasting students of Kent County High School's radio station WKHS enjoyed a free concert by masked art rock band the Residents, the identity of whose members has remained a mystery for more than 50 years.