First thing Thursday morning, Tylasia Minor and Eddie Long needed to check a couple of things right off the bat.

After looking at the sound levels on their laptop computer screen, the Oakdale Elementary fifth-graders said each other’s names into the microphone. Then, they were ready to start their podcast interview with Monica Mize, a former Oakdale student who is now a workforce development specialist at McAbee Construction.

"We are interviewing Monica Mize, and we’re going to be asking questions about what your life was like when you were 10," Tylasia said.

"Nice to meet you," Eddie said.

"Nice to meet you," Mize responded.

Eddie asked the first question: What was Mize good at in school?

"P.E.," Mize said. "I like to read a lot, and I’m really good at math, but P.E. was my all-time favorite."

Tylasia’s question was just as simple as Long’s, but brought something else out of Mize.

"What is your favorite holiday?" Minor asked.

"My favorite holiday is Christmas," Mize said.

Eddie seemed unimpressed with Mize's answer. Every other person Long and other fifth graders in the school’s journalism program had interviewed that month had said the same thing as Mize. He let her know that.

"That’s because it’s a great holiday," Mize said.

Tylasia butted in.

"I basically do not like Christmas," she said.

"Well, what’s your favorite holiday?" Mize asked.

"Halloween."

Mize smiled.

"That’s my second favorite," she said.

Over the last month or so, students from the school’s journalism program have been trying out podcasting and sharpening their interviewing skills, which they hope will get them recognized in National Public Radio's Student Podcast Challenge. The national contest calls for students to submit podcasts they have created with the help of their teachers.

Latrina Spencer, one of the advisers for the program, jumped at the opportunity for her students to do something featuring podcasts and conversations.

"We hope we can keep doing this," Spencer said.

In the past, the school’s journalism program has mostly focused on a monthly newsletter that highlights things happening in the school. Over the last month, Oakdale journalism students have interviewed different people about their experience being a student at Oakdale, from Mize to the Rev. Matthew Wilson, a current school board member.

Many of the interviews have been recorded using the microphones on laptop computers and edited by either teachers or volunteers at the University of Alabama’s media department.

Melissa Kent, library media specialist at Oakdale who also serves as an adviser to the school’s journalism program, said the podcasting has brought out something different in many of the students, showing them to be natural interviewers.

"Part of being a teacher is you are trying to find various ways for your children to shine, but they’re not all going to shine in the same way," Kent said. "Some are not writers, but they are able to hold a conversation with someone."

Spencer said she has seen some of the quietest children in the program become some of the most outspoken when it has come to podcasting.

"It’s been great," she said.

The Oakdale students have until the end of March to submit their podcast. The winners of the NPR contest will be announced in April with the winning submissions being feature on "Morning Edition" or "All Things Considered."

Reach Drew Taylor at drew.taylor@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0204.