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What do New York City public school students think about the education they are receiving? What’s on their minds as they plan their futures?

No one has their finger on the pulse more than P.S. Weekly’s student journalists.

A co-production of The Bell and Chalkbeat, the P.S. Weekly podcast is back for Season 3 to examine pressing issues in city schools through the perspectives of students who experience them firsthand.

Since January, P.S. Weekly’s eight student reporters have been developing stories for Season 3, with episodes slated for release later this spring. Chalkbeat’s seasoned education reporters have teamed up with The Bell’s Senior Producer Maria Robins-Somerville and Technical Director Jake Lummus to guide the students through the reporting and production processes.

“I’m so excited to be on board as the senior producer of P.S. Weekly’s third season,” Robins-Somerville said. “Getting to combine my passions for audio journalism, youth-centered stories, and the NYC public school system that raised me is a dream, and I can’t wait for you to hear this season.”

The program equips students with journalism skills at a critical moment: In a recent News Literacy Project survey, fewer than 2 in 10 teens correctly distinguished different types of information, such as news, advertisements, opinions, and entertainment. Through P.S. Weekly, students are not only building their own media literacy skills, they are helping deliver relevant, reliable news to their peers as well.

“I’m excited to grow as a storyteller and reporter alongside my fellow passionate teens,” said Noa Salas Adam, a junior from Stuyvesant High School. “I’m really looking forward to producing my own story from idea to finished product with the support of The Bell and the Chalkbeat team.”

A former participant of The Bell’s Miseducation internship, Noa is joined by other returning students from the Summer Youth Podcast Academy and last year’s P.S. Weekly cohort. Two of The Bell’s alumni, Katelyn Melville and Zana Halili, have also returned as assistant producers. They’ll support all aspects of production, including scripting, recording, audio engineering, and marketing, serving as near-peer mentors while continuing to strengthen their own storytelling and audio skills.

In addition to producing episodes, P.S. Weekly student reporters will gain deeper insight into the journalism profession through visits to local newsrooms, reporter Q&As, and field-reporting opportunities. Every student will also be paired with a professional audio producer this spring for mentorship and one-on-one help with their episodes.

Learn more about the P.S. Weekly team below.

High School Student Reporters

A photograph of a high school student with short dark hair and wearing a blue shirt posing for a photograph against a tan background.
(Courtesy of Roberto Bailey)

Roberto Bailey is a senior at Hunter College High School in Manhattan and will be attending the University of Pennsylvania in the fall. He serves as the editor-in-chief of his school’s newspaper and has previously worked with publications including City Limits and the Berkeley Scientific Journal. Outside of journalism, Roberto is passionate about psychology, neuroscience, and trying new cafés.

A photograph of a Black high school senior with short dark twists and wearing a light dress shirt poses with a big smile against a brown background.
(Courtesy of Jeremiah Dickerson)

Jeremiah Dickerson is a senior at Williamsburg Charter High School in Brooklyn, a member of his school’s National Honors Society, and president of his school’s student council. Jeremiah loves to play games and make video edits outside of his busy school life, with Marvel Rivals and Minecraft being his favorite games currently!

A photograph a Black high school student with short dark hair and wearing a pink sweater poses for a selfie.
(Courtesy of Zoë George)

Zoë George is a senior at Bard High School Early College Manhattan. She is the president of her school’s art club and an active member of the school admissions team. When Zoe isn’t busy studying, she loves to read, crochet, and bake.

A photograph of a Black high school junior with long dark braids wearing a dark sweater looks at the camera while posing for a portrait.
(Courtesy of Rayleen Laloi)

Rayleen Laloi is a junior at the Brooklyn Institute for liberal arts. She is currently participating in a program at the Brooklyn Navy Yard called STEAM and is working in video production. When Rayleen isn’t scrolling on TikTok she loves to read, listen to music, or watch anime.

A photograph of a high school senior student with dark hair and wearing a black t-shirt poses for a portraits against a white wall.
(Courtesy of Jasper Mallorca)

Jasper Mallorca is a senior at the High School of Art and Design, concentrating in cartooning. He was a multiple-year member of the Lab Museum High School cross country team, and is also a musician. Jasper can be found writing songs or playing NBA2k when he isn’t pursuing his academics.

A photograph of a Black high school student with long, dark, curly hair and wearing a white sweater while smiling and posing for a portrait against a purple backdrop.
(Courtesy of Ermione Aleah Raymond)

Ermione Aleah Raymond is a senior at the Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice in Downtown Brooklyn. She is an active member of her school’s Black Student Union and senior committee, as well as an advisory council chair member and president of the student council. Outside of school she is an active member of YA-YA Network (a youth activist coalition), a Posse Scholar, and a tutor. When she isn’t studying, she loves to explore the city with friends and read books.

A photograph of a high school junior with long dark hair and wearing earrings poses for a portrait against a white cloth.
(Courtesy of Noa Salas Adam)

Noa Salas Adam is a junior at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan. She is the editor-in-chief of her school’s newspaper, The Spectator; the vice president of Girl Up, her school’s gender empowerment club; and an active member of her school’s honors society. In her free time, Noa loves to do modern dance, read, write, and explore the city with her friends.

A photograph of a high school junior with a dark afro and wearing headphones poses for a selfie while walking down a sidewalk.
(Courtesy of Mateo Tang O’Reilly)

Mateo Tang O’Reilly is a junior at Central Park East High School. He is part of his school’s debate team and writes and edits for his school newspaper. In his free time, Mateo thrifts and tries out food spots across the city.

Assistant Producers

Zana Halili is a junior at NYU, where she is designing her own interdisciplinary course of study in film and journalism. Her work with The Bell began in high school through the Summer Youth Podcast Academy. She is passionate about creating, analyzing, and critiquing media in all forms. Outside of school, she can usually be found updating her Letterboxd profile or writing plays.

Katelyn Melville is a freshman at the City College of New York majoring in civil engineering with a journalism minor. She enjoys civic engagement, advocacy, and creative writing. Empathy is at the core of her heart, motivating her to bring more ethics to the STEM field through storytelling and active listening.

Two photographs side by side, left, is a junior college student wearing a dark sweater and has long dark hair. And the right image is of a Black college student wearing a blue graduation cap and gown and holding a red graduation certificate.
(Images courtesy of Zana Halili and Katelyn Melville)

Senior Producer

Maria Robins-Somerville is an audio producer and proud alum of the NYC public school system. She got her start screening calls on The Brian Lehrer Show at WNYC. She’s produced both narrative and chat-style podcasts for Apple, Netflix, HBO, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, among others. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from The Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY and a bachelor’s degree in English and psychology from the University of Michigan. She loves research, Prospect Park, and stories that center young people.

Technical Director

Jake Lummus is a 14-year New York City studio veteran with a bachelor’s degree in Sound Recording Technology, two Grammy nominations, and lots of post production under his belt. An alumni of Conde Nast’s podcast production umbrella, he’s overseen production on shows including Vogue, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, Wired, Bon Appetit, WNYC’s Radio Hour, and more. He’s brand new to The Bell’s team, and is looking forward to expanding the capabilities of the students’ stories!

Two portraits, on the left, a photograph of a white woman with long brown hair and wearing a blue blouse poses for a photograph outside on a sidewalk. And on the right a photograph of a man smiling, wearing glasses and has ear pods in posing for a selfie.
(Images courtesy of Maria Robins Somerville and Jake Lummus)

Executive Editors

  • Taylor McGraw, executive director, The Bell
  • Amy Zimmer, New York bureau chief, Chalkbeat

Additional Team Members

  • Sabrina DuQuesnay, manager of student & alumni experience, The Bell
  • Michael Elsen-Rooney, reporter, Chalkbeat
  • Mira Gordon, senior manager of NYC programs, The Bell
  • Abigail Kramer, reporter, Chalkbeat
  • Alex Zimmerman, reporter, Chalkbeat

P.S. Weekly is a collaboration between The Bell and Chalkbeat, made possible by generous support from The Pinkerton Foundation.