Storytelling Through Multimedia to Amplify Rural Voices
We are thrilled to share this guest article by Rural Pathways affiliate, Katie Belanger.
Katie is Development Director at WTIP North Shore Community Radio, the oldest community station on Lake Superior’s North Shore. Connect with Katie on LinkedIn.
In Cook County and across rural Minnesota, storytelling is more than entertainment, it’s how we stay connected. At WTIP North Shore Community Radio, we use radio broadcasts, online news articles, and short videos to amplify voices that speak to the challenges and beauty of rural life.
WTIP is the oldest community radio station broadcasting on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Visitors and residents spread out over 1,500 square miles of woods and waters come together through WTIP, a non-profit organization that provides an arena for information-gathering, discussion, and expression.
As part of WTIP’s mission to connect, reflect, and build community on the North Shore of Lake Superior, WTIP has expanded its visual media production in the past couple of years with the help of videographers M Baxley and Chuck Olsen. Through this work, WTIP has been able to tell stories centered on community and the transformative power of place.
Multimedia makes stories more accessible, more human. Whether it’s announcing the launch of the first Indigenous-led coast guard on Lake Superior, profiling the matriarchs of Grand Marais, or stocking trout in remote lakes, these stories help us listen to each other more deeply and see our community more clearly.
“Kids in the Water: A Youth Volunteer Story”
One such video that has amplified youth voices this year is “Kids in the Water: A Youth Volunteer Story,” produced by M Baxley. It’s a video about the Cook County Youth Volunteer Program, which connects young people with a variety of opportunities for growth and development in cooperation with local non-profits and county institutions. In this video, WTIP steps into the space where youth and adults intersect to find common purpose and passion in our community.
Blending a behind-the-scenes look on how water quality is tested along the Lake Superior shoreline during the summer months with the youth engagement of the volunteer initiative, this video offers a heartwarming and informative look into the people behind the programs.
One of the key people in this video is Stephen Janasie, Conservation Technician for Cook County Soil & Water, who combines environmental education and local government transparency as he mentors the youth volunteers. Janasie talks through how the kids collect water samples and other environmental data tracking (like air and water temperature, etc.) and how these data samples inform public safety decisions while the video captures kids being kids: filling their waders with water and seeing how big of a splash they can make. The kids themselves capture underwater footage and show real-time temperature readings, adding a playful, fieldwork element to their volunteer work. The video functions as a public awareness piece about the work the county is doing to ensure water safety while highlighting the Cook County Youth Volunteer Program, which connects middle school students with local organizations over the summer months. Through interviews and candid footage with program coordinator Sarah Waddle, viewers hear about how students choose their volunteer placements, what kids enjoy about volunteering, and how parents value the program’s personal and community benefits as well.
The video reflects the casual and authentic dynamic between the youth and their mentor. There’s goofy banter in the car, invented terms like “kersplooshing,” and a rough version of “carpool karaoke," balancing the scientific content with youthful energy. It’s clear that while the work is serious, the experience is intentionally fun.
The end result is that a video like this captures a snapshot of Cook County in action and likely encourages future parents to consider getting their kids involved in the Cook County Youth Volunteer Program, a positive, community-oriented experience for all. It’s a great example of how WTIP uses visual media to tell small-town stories that can have a big impact.