Benson High School

KBPS Radio Broadcasting Program Brochure

KBPS provides students with a rigorous broadcast curriculum that prepares them to continue their training in either a 2 year or 4 year college program. KBPS students become powerful, effective, and confident communicators for all jobs and career fields. Our students can earn college credits at Mount Hood Community College by completing the Radio Broadcasting 3 and 4 courses. In some cases, our students move from Benson, directly into employment in the broadcast industry.

Broadcasting 2 Introductory Class - Credits: 0.5 - Grade: 10th - Prerequisite: none 

This semester-long Career Technical Education (CTE) course for sophomores is required for students planning to major in KBPS Broadcasting junior and senior year. Students are introduced to industry software, equipment, and audio content creation for KBPS with sound engineering principles and techniques. KBPS students also improve literacy skills through writing and performing scripts. Subjects include: broadcasting history, announcing skills, public speaking, programming, formats, news, commercials, sound elements, communications careers and salaries, promotions and engineering information.

Broadcasting 3 Intermediate Class - Credits: 2  - Grade: 11th  - Prerequisite: “B” in Broadcasting 2

This is a year-long CTE course for juniors. Students improve communication skills and knowledge through live on-air broadcasting, production, and writing. Subjects include: effective modern day communication, sound reporting, ratings and research, sales, regulations, improving diction and announcing skills, TV news announcing, interviewing, and career advancement. Juniors are encouraged to start extracurriculars like Sportscasting and our student job program Summer Sound.

Broadcasting 4 Advanced Class - Credits: 2 - Grade: 12th - Prerequisite: “B” in Broadcasting 3

This is a year-long CTE course for seniors.Students dive deep into advanced communications skills and knowledge. Subjects include: live broadcasting, online streaming, remote equipment operation, multitrack production, written communication skills, improving public speaking, reporting, ethics, story editing, audio journalism, news production, achieving an effect, and announcing skills. KBPS seniors complete a digital work sample portfolio, resume, and live performance assessment with industry partners. Graduates are eligible for the Patricia Swenson Scholarship, The Amine Foundation Scholarship, and KBPS awards like Leadership & Professionalism, Best On-Air Announcer,  and Outstanding Contributions.

Program Information 

Complete KBPS Radio Broadcasting Program Syllabus

KBPS Radio Broadcasting Program Brochure

Benson Radio Broadcasting CrossWalk

Benson Radio Broadcasting RoadMap

Radio 2 Unit Plans - Unit Plan 1     Unit Plan 2     Unit Plan 3

Radio 3 Unit Plans - Unit Plan 1    Unit Plan 2    Unit Plan 3    Unit Plan 4

Unit Plan 5    Unit Plan 6    Unit Plan 7    Unit Plan 8    Unit Plan 9    Unit Plan 10

Unit Plan 11    Unit Plan 12

Radio 4 Unit Plans - Unit Plan 1    Unit Plan 2    Unit Plan 3    Unit Plan 4

Unit Plan 5    Unit Plan 6    Unit Plan 7    Unit Plan 8    Unit Plan 9    Unit Plan 10

Unit Plan 11   Unit Plan 12   Unit Plan 13   Unit Plan 14   Unit Plan 15   Unit Plan 16

Blank Unit Plan Template

As a part of their training, students in the broadcast program at Benson high school are the staff of AM 1450 KBPS. Here’s a brief rundown of the on-air opportunities for students:

TEEN SOUND: Popular music, news, features and interviews of interest to high school age students. The program airs 6:00am-6:00pm weekdays. Teen Sound gives Benson High School radio students another opportunity to use their classroom skills on the air.

ROCK/OLDIES: Airs evening and weekends and gives students experience targeting older demographic listeners. With the Teen Sound and Oldies genres, KBPS students have more experience when going into the broadcast workforce.

SPORTS: Students learn the basics of sportscasting as they broadcast play-by-play coverage of Portland Interscholastic League football and basketball games. KBPS uses state of the art digital remote broadcast equipment. Students receive a Career Related Learning Experience with industry standard broadcast equipment.

COVERAGE OF SPECIAL EVENTS: From time to time, opportunities arise for students to participate in the production of special broadcast programming such as election news coverage, Rose Festival interviews, coverage of the annual Benson Tech Show and Benson Alumni Association reunion events.

KBPS ESL Class: Benson High School has offered an after school Radio Broadcasting class for ESL high school students in the Portland School District. ESL students take the regular broadcast curriculum with learning strategies for ESL students. Students then produce public service announcements in their native language. Here is a MP3 sample of student work.

Volunteer at PPS Spanish Announcement

Contact the Portland Public Schools ESL department if you are interested in having this class return as an after school option. 

Tech Show 2025

KPTV Video

Tech Show 2013 videos spotlighting Benson's curriculum offerings:

Tech Show Video 1

Tech Show Video 2

Tech Show Video 3

Tech Show Video 4