MEET THE Designers:
Takouhi Asdorian
Marina Andrade
Izzy Anthony
linkedin.com/in/takouhi-asdorian
linkedin.com/in/marinaa-andrade
linkedin.com/in/isabella-anthony-0a9bb0258/
SUMMARY
Studio 158 began as a response to the "social gap" facing Washington Heights youth. We developed a flexible creative studio where students master podcasting, music, and AI while building professional soft skills. Through prototype fairs and live pilots, we discovered that students thrive when "the lesson" is hidden inside content creation. It’s not just a class; it’s a working media lab where hands-on production builds the confidence needed for creative careers. By leveraging existing school infrastructure, Studio 158 turns interests into tangible portfolios, proving that when learning feels like a community, students are ready to lead.
challenge
We identified three critical gaps through community research: a social gap caused by pandemic-era isolation, an opportunity gap for students not pursuing four-year degrees, and a relevance gap where traditional programs felt like "more school." Washington Heights youth need professional-grade tools and "The Hidden Curriculum" (networking/interviewing) to enter creative industries. By piloting a podcast-style setup, we saw that students engage most when soft skills are embedded in content creation. Studio 158 fills these gaps by turning a standard school day into a high-energy, project-based studio environment.
Outcome
Studio 158 is a credited elective at CHAH where students learn podcasting, music production, video editing, and content creation while building the conversation and job-readiness skills rarely taught in a traditional classroom. Originally conceived as an after-school program, CHAH saw enough potential to integrate it into the school day. It directly addresses three gaps: the social confidence students lost post-COVID, the lack of job-readiness training for students not pursuing four-year degrees, and the disconnect between after-school programming and what students actually want.
