It was a pleasure to drop-in at SLAM Radio, at SLAM School Miami on their third annual fundraiser and 24-hour broadcast, SLAM-A-THON. Before we talk about SLAM-A-THON it’s important to understand SLAM Radio itself.

SLAM Radio broadcasts 7 days a week and 24 hours a day on SiriusXM Channel 145. It is the first national (and global via Youtube Livestreams) radio station produced and presented by trailblazing high-school students at the Sports Leadership and Management School (SLAM) Miami. Overseen by Larry Milian (Teacher, Executive National Director and Good Morning host) and Frank Fernandez (Station Engineer). The students gain real-world broadcasting experience while sharing their voices with audiences around the world as they prepare for careers within the sports and media industries.

The groundbreaking radio station offers a range of programming from sports, music, entertainment, current topics. Reaching audiences spanning across all generations and tastes. Simply put, there is something to engage everyone.

SLAM Radio continues to make history with activities outside the traditional educational box for example appearing on Good Morning America and interviewing a continuous flow of high-profile guests in sports, music, media and beyond.

SLAM School Miami is often mentioned at concerts and motivational talks by co-founder and ambassador Pitbull –  the only time you can hear a pin drop at concerts, as the crowd listen attentively.

SLAM-A-THON

The SLAM-A-THON is a 24-hour fundraiser hosted by Larry Milian, the students AT SLAM Miami with appearances by SLAM Boca and SLAM Palm Beach on the round the clock show. With guests ranging from the music, sports and more. Along with engaging discussions and debates from cordyceps, matcha to talks on body positivity and beyond.  

SLAM-A-THON is imperative in supporting radio. The purpose of the event is to raise funds for the radio station itself and keep the station on air and use funds to maintain or upgrade equipment and continuously enhance a professional radio station environment, thus investing in future careers in broadcast and media.

The radio station buzzed with a hubbub of activity room to room on SLAM Radio’s third annual fundraiser. Whether it be the studio Live on air, the production, sound/camera engineering room to the other surrounding rooms preparing evergreen content and discussing material in preparation to go on air to the hallway.

Listening in behind the scenes and Live on-air discussions, these are truly young professional people with powerful, strong voices with remarkable depth of wisdom beyond their years. General Station managers Mia Ruiz and Alan Mata give us insight on what the fundraiser is, what it aims to achieve and why SLAM-A-THON is so important in their own words:

MIA RUIZ

“Hi, my name is Mia Ruiz. I am one of the General Manager’s here at SLAM Radio. Basically, what’s going on right now is we have our sister schools from SLAM here. SLAM Boca, SLAM North, SLAM Palm Beach, and they are each doing their own segments, talking about their own topics. We have been able to give them a platform to speak here at our station, as they continue to grow their radio programmes and learn from us, while also being able to take on their own segments and that’s what SLAM-A-THON is all about.  Giving students their voices and showcasing to the world what SLAM radio does every day, which is giving everybody a chance to speak, and to learn how to voice their opinion, the correct way. We’re trying to raise a quarter of a million dollars so that we can continue to upgrade our equipment and make sure everybody gets equal opportunities to get the best out of this programme. 

We have special guests coming up, like, Will Manso, Giselle Espinales and Bill Tech, who’s a director locally here and other big names in the entertainment and media industries that inspire us and teach us a little bit about what they do”

What do you enjoy the most about this event?

I love the organised chaos. I love the running back and forth and getting guests up here, and because at the end of the day, we’re putting on an amazing show, and everybody learns something from SLAM-A-THON. We always have memories that last a lifetime at the end of the night we usually have a DJ and we start dancing. Today we have a DJ CP from the Marlins. That’s when we loosen up. Then then our last segment is usually emotional. It’s about all our individual journeys through SLAM Radio, and that’s usually when people cry about the seniors having their last SLAM-A-THON. It will be my last night upon this year.”

ALAN MATA

“Hi, my name is Alan Mata. I am one of the student general managers here at SLAM Radio

SLAM Radio is the only satellite radio station run by high school students in the world. When have you ever heard of that? Never. I mean, it’s insane when I say it and it’s insane when you hear it, the ability to broadcast to 35,000,000 subscribers with around 80,000,000 potential listeners on Sirius XM 

It’s insane- to walk into school, sit down, or either be talking on the mic or running a board, I have the ability to do that. SLAM has given me the ability. The SLAM Foundation has given me that ability. The people who work here, Mr. Milan, Amanda Milan, Frank Fernandez, they teach kids and they mould them into something better. That is what SLAM radio does. This class sets you up in the real world. Every time we have kids come through, they’re always like “Wow, you run this like a business – you have a full leadership team. You have everybody in check, everybody in order.”

Every time guests come through to be interviewed. We always interview them the best we can and it’s always great. It’s amazing to get those people in the industry to tell us “Wow, you can be in the industry.” It inspires us. Fast forward- you look at Mr. Million’s son, Anthony Milian, he’s now moved on to working at SiriusXM in Miami Beach. SLAM radio opens that kind of opportunity, opens that gateway to these amazing opportunities that, not only SLAM can provide, but that also that Milian and Frank can provide through teaching and connections.

I think SLAM Radio is something that every school should have. Now that we’re branching out, we’re getting SLAM Boca, SLAM Palm Beach, SLAM North involved.

That’s what we’re trying to do right now with SLAM-A-THON. We’re trying to bring awareness to the station locally. For people to know that there’s this gem hidden inside Little Havana. Nationally, we have that representation with Good Morning America. We been going to America. We’ve been on radio row for the Super Bowl.”

And that’s a wrap. Thank you to everyone on at SLAM Radio for having me and especially Mia Ruiz and Alan Mata for taking the time to tell us more. The 24-hour SLAM-A-THON may be over but SLAM RADIO is still running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is still open for donations so please dig deep!

DONATE: Slamradio.org