Summer Sound Job Program Information

Summer Sound is a high-school student job program hosted by AM 1450 KBPS on the campus of Benson Polytechnic High School. Summer Sound students receive an opportunity to be hired and receive modern-day experiences revolving around communication and radio broadcasting. Summer Sounders gain experience in news casting, speaking, editing, interviewing, and more! 

The KBPS Summer Sound Program Student Staff works to ensure live on-air broadcasting of news and weather information, community events, and Portland Public School District information on AM 1450 and the KBPS online web stream. The mission of the Summer Sound program is to inform listeners first, and entertain them second. Students work together as a team to find and rewrite news stories for broadcast on-air. Produce content to broadcast on-air and publish on the KBPS website and social media outlets. Especially news that can help teens with jobs and/or job alternatives, like volunteer opportunities in the Portland area, and local events. Cover stories that major media miss. Help find and conduct interviews to broadcast on-air. Helps build partnerships between KBPS and the local community. Prior live-broadcasting experience and audio production experience required. Must know all FCC broadcast regulations and follow them. Hourly legal IDs, Daily Program logs are filled out and signed, and no offensive language is broadcast. Be a team player. Be enthusiastic!

KBPS Broadcasting students at Benson, and other Journalism students at Portland-area high schools in good academic standing are encouraged to apply to be a part of KBPS Summer Sound. Contact KBPS Instructor Jacob Patterson jacpatterson@pps.net or KBPS Operations Manager Richard Kinoshita rkinoshita@pps.net for more information. Doing some volunteer shifts at KBPS to learn broadcasting basics may be required to participate. Here is an example KBPS Summer Sound Job Application.

Summer Sound Request Line

The Summer Sound Student Staff wants to hear from you! Call in your song requests and comments at 503-916-KBPS (5277)

Wednesday Theme Days

Summer Sound Students vote on specific music themes for our "Wednesday Theme Days." Please keep song requests on Wednesdays within the scheduled themes below:  

JUNE 25, 2025: "PRIDE" - JUNE IS PRIDE MONTH! FEATURING LGBTQ+ ARTISTS AND SONGS

JULY 9, 2025: 

JULY 16, 2025:

JULY 23, 2025:

JULY 30, 2025:

AUGUST 6, 2025: 

AUGUST 13, 2025: 

Meriwether S. & European Poet Vivian Gerrard

{To be added}