Knoch High School will soon have something very few high schools have the chance to offer to its student body — a working AM and FM radio station that can provide students with real world experience.

Ken Hawk, the owner of WIYQ-DB, which is also known as Saxonburgradio.com, has donated the station to the school district in a move that was approved by the school board last week.

Young people who might be interested in radio careers often have to wait until they reach a college campus to get their first taste of what it might be like. This is an incredible opportunity for students who want to give this a chance before making a commitment to a college major or spending money on university courses.

The station, found on 1620 AM and 100.3 FM, features a variety of music and farming and agricultural vignettes, state and national politics, world and national news, and local news from the Butler Eagle.

In a release, Knoch said, “Some of our staff have already begun brainstorming ways to integrate the station into their curriculum. This addition will create meaningful learning experiences for our students for years to come.”

Something Knoch students might be able to add to the station is local sports coverage, which Hawk said it hasn’t had due to a lack of manpower. Imagine being a high school student interested in sports broadcasting or commentary and having access to a local radio station to hone your craft.

Hawk also said the students’ access to technology education could help the radio’s business to grow.

Anytime our school districts can offer our young people a chance to test drive a potential career option, we should support it. This is what high schools should thrive at — preparing the next generation for its next steps. This is such a unique opportunity and it’s great to see Knoch to grab it.

— KL