WASHINGTON, N.C. (WNCT) — School systems came up with unique ways to keep people informed during the coronavirus pandemic. Beaufort County Schools continues to do that even after the pandemic.

BCS is using podcasts to get the information out, everything from school and student accomplishments to safety news, community partners and even congratulate state championship academic and athletic teams.

With the click of a button on your phone or computer, you can get the most important information from Beaufort County Schools.

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“I think COVID was really an opportunity where our community wanted to know more, wanted greater conversations, greater communication,” Beaufort County Schools Superintendent Dr. Matthew Cheesman said.

“Dr. Cheeseman needed a way to reach back out to parents, stakeholders and such with our community,” said Paul Huggins, BCS director of digital media. “We had a functioning studio, with some tweaks, we can do a podcast.”

So a podcast was created. Soon, another one was added.

“It started early on with mask mandates, what our protocols were, our podcast has evolved much more since then,” said Kristen Riddle, podcast host and BCS public information officer.

“We really tried to put topics on there that we feel like as a mom or a dad ourselves that these families would really be interested in.”

Those topics covered school safety and weather delay decisions.

“The episodes that we have Dr. Cheeseman on are some of our most viewed, and I think that’s why because the community is needing that information,” Riddle said.

It’s not all serious topics. That’s what makes it so fun and a good source of information.

“You talk to a kid, and you see their excitement, how much and now you’re like, ‘OK, these are not the only two kids in the school system who are smart and excited and love learning. We know that these two represent hundreds and hundreds of kids,” said BCS podcast host and director of Project Aware, Ashley Padgett.

The Beaufort County Podcast Studio is doing well already.

“We have a good listenership, nearly 3,000 direct streams and downloads,” Huggins said. “For a small district like ourselves that is quite a lot.”

With each listen, they believe the work they’re doing is making a difference in the lives of students and the community.

“We want them to listen to the podcast, it’s not about us. It’s really, we want them to understand all these amazing people that we get to talk to,” Padgett said.

“They have a voice in the community, a voice that is changing things in the community. That’s what I like about the podcast is what we can do for our students and for our teachers,” Huggins said.

To hear all of their podcasts and the other subjects they feature, you can click here to listen and follow the podcasts.