PLYMOUTH, Mich. (WXYZ) — A massive campaign is underway to help a local high school radio program in the Plymouth-Canton area that has been broadcasting to the community for 53 years.
The campaign aims to raise over $500,000 for 88.1 The Park, with the Rotary Club of Plymouth committing a $200,000 grant to transform the station's space.
Inside Salem High School, students are producing award-winning broadcasts but are quickly outgrowing their current facilities.
"These studios are, I mean, they're great studios for what we can do, but it'll be so nice to have more opportunities to do more interviews to host more in-person interviews," said Sydney Capen, a senior at Canton High School.
Capen grew up listening to the station and says she values her time there.
"I do community focus, and I like to bring people into the community," said Capen.
The current space limitations are affecting their ability to accommodate all interested students.
"We try to squeeze in as many kids as we can," said Bill Keith, who has been the station manager for 34-35 years. "We try to find a way, but there's just logistical things."
The cramped conditions make interviews particularly challenging.
"I bring them in and they're sitting there and I'm like standing right behind them because that's the only place I can do it," said senior Leo Popp, who helps lead the women's sports spotlight, where they interview female athletes across the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park high schools.
The expansion project will convert a classroom into multiple new spaces with editing, recording, and interview studios, a staff room, and storage. It will also include upgrading dated equipment.
"It would open up more opportunities to expand our 5:30 newscast to add more local stories to it, cover more stories over a year," said Keith.
The project will allow twice the number of students to get involved, supporting the three high schools on one campus.
Full Interview: Sydney Capen and Leo Popp talk 88.1 The Park expansion:
Keith says the expansion would also help address the coverage gap in a community seeing less investment in local news.
"Plymouth used to have 2 or 3 newspapers, Plymouth Canton area used to have 2 or 3 newspapers, and over the years, that's just declined," said Keith.
The "Amplification Campaign" is about a year in progress with just under $100,000 left to raise.
"We're excited that it's well within view," said Keith.
"I would not want to trade this experience. This is such an amazing place," said Capen.
The capital campaign budget includes architecture fees, construction costs, HVAC considerations, sound attenuation measures, enhanced lighting, security considerations, ADA accessibility, video capabilities, and significant equipment purchases and upgrades resulting in four additional studios and a student staff room.
You can find out more informationhere.
Their next fundraising event is an auction on Saturday, May 17.
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