Freshman Jordyn Jackson spends her Saturday nights in a radio studio crammed with teens.  Jackson is a co-host of the 1380 the Woman program “Teen Talk.”  The show is run entirely by teens.

“Teen Talk” is a place for adolescents to share their opinions, aspirations and ideas publicly, a privilege that is usually reserved for adults.

“We talk about everything that’s relevant to us.  We’ll talk about cool songs and things that are trending,” Jackson said.  “Anything that teens like to talk about, we’ll talk about it on air.”

Her mother, Robin Jackson, became the station manager of 1380 the Woman in May.  Robin moved from New York to St. Louis 20 years ago, working in television until she began working at 1380.

“She switched from TV to radio, but it’s similar because [she] is still selling spots,” Jackson said.  “Selling spots” means finding show hosts, show producers, sponsors and advertisers.  Although Robin’s media of communication changed, one thing has remained the same.

“She enjoys being behind the scenes,” Jackson said of her mother.  “She just thinks that it’s better to control what’s going on behind the set.”

Jackson, unlike her mother, prefers to be in front of the microphone, which proved to be fundamental in the development of the show.  With her mother’s new job, Jackson was able to effectively add a fresh outlook to the average radio programming.

“I like talking a lot. My mom was telling me about all the shows, and I said, ‘Well wouldn’t it be cool to have my own teen show?’” Robin made it happen.  In July of 2013, “Teen Talk” was introduced to the public, and became the first teen run radio show to hit the airwaves in St. Louis.

Since July, the show has evolved.  For one, it has grown from four weekly hosts to eight rotating spots. The reason for the extra hosts is simple.  “We felt we needed more perspectives,” Jackson said. In addition to that, “We’re teens and we’re busy.”

“Teen Talk” is very time consuming, similar to the effort a person would put into a part time job.  Besides being active in their communities by participating in theatre, playing sports, volunteering and working, the participants have to plan the radio shows, attend 1380 the Woman events, keep up with the show’s social media pages and devote at least two hours each weekend for live broadcasting.

The radio show may turn into a paid job for these lucky teens in the future, if the show continues to increase in popularity and sponsors.

Although fairly successful now, the teens have not always been proficient at hosting a radio show.

“At the beginning, it was rocky because we were all getting to know each other,” Jackson said. The hosts represent several private and public schools across St. Louis who would not have known each other if it were not for the show.

Nick, a student at De Smet Jesuit High School, and Zayna, a student at John Burroughs School, interned at 1380 the Woman over the summer.  Their internship unexpectedly continued into the school year when they were offered the regular hosting job on “Teen Talk.”

Currently the only boy on the show, Nick offers more than just masculinity to “Teen Talk.”  Nick also controls the technical board during the live show, helping the show to achieve the distinction of a teen run show.

Although the idea of an adult-free show is intriguing to listeners, the hosts’ lack of experience can have its setbacks.

A few of the teens had theatre skills, but radio was a new obstacle for each of them.

“I think that a bunch of us were very timid,” Jackson said.  “It broke us out of our shells.  I can be quiet sometimes, so the fact that I’m so comfortable being on air is just amazing.  It’s changed me so much.”

The teens are mentored by Micah Smith, a recent graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism at Mizzou.  Smith received a Bachelor degree in journalism with a radio and television emphasis. She worked as a reporter, anchor and producer at KOMU 8 News.  Smith currently works at the 590 the Man and 1380 the Woman radio stations and is the producer for “Teen Talk.”

The opportunity to host “Teen Talk” has become more than a hobby: it has become a learning experience, preparing the students for their future.  Nick aspires to one day become a sports broadcaster on radio or television.

When asked about his dream job, he replied, “I’m doing it right now,” referencing his experience at 1380.  All of the teens are essentially preparing for their future jobs.  The hosts deal regularly with guests, bosses and coworkers, learning important skills that are not always easy to master.

As a teen, however, Jackson does not find it difficult to get along with the other adolescent co-hosts.  Although she remembers the awkwardness of the first few shows, the initial discomfort did not last long.  “As time has gone on, we’ve all grown to like each other a lot,” Jackson said.

“Teen Talk,” with the variations of ages, schools and social circumstances in the hosts, offers the ideal radio show for a teenager to enjoy. “If I was a listener, I would love to hear this because there’s nothing like it,” Jackson said. “The fact that you can listen to teens talk about things that are relevant to yourself, on air … it’s such a cool way to learn things.”

Another host, Lanie, who attends John Burroughs School, also sees the impact that Teen Talk could have.  “It gives insight to what teens are actually thinking without it being censored,” Lanie said.  “It gives teens a chance to hear what’s going on with other people so they know they’re not alone.”

The hosts have high expectations for “Teen Talk.”  “The more people we tell about it, the more it will grow,” Jackson said.  “It will only get better from here.”

“Teen Talk” can be found on Facebook, and will soon appear on other social networking sites. An online streaming device and archives from previous shows are available at 1380thewoman.com. The hosts are currently working on creating a teen blog.

“Teen Talk” airs on Saturday afternoons from 4-6 or online at 1380thewoman.com.

“It’s really taken off,” Jackson said.  “It’s getting bigger because people will call in, and people will text in.  I love the show so much.”

Per the request of the show’s hosts, their last names have been omitted.