Drop the Mic
In 2014, Michelle collaborated with Allan Kobernick, Director of Multimedia Services and Producer of CCPTV at Community College of Philadelphia, to create and produce Drop the Mic on CCPTV. Merging poetry slam and reality TV talent show formats, Drop the Mic is a spoken word competition TV series which showcases CCP student poets and celebrates their authentic selves.
In 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2020 Drop the Mic received six total nominations for an Emmy Award by the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences in the category of “Entertainment Program - Special.” Other awards presented to Drop the Mic include Communicator Awards, Telly Awards, Davey Awards, CAMMY Awards, and CINDY Awards. Six full seasons of Drop the Mic are available on YouTube.
Students are involved in the production of Drop the Mic not only as contestants performing poetry but also as part of the crew. CCP students operate the cameras, conduct pre- and post-performance interviews, and edit the footage in post-production. Multimedia students post updates about the show on various social media platforms using the CCPTV53 handle, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The making of this show is truly a collaboration that crosses departments and disciplines.
The students who wrote the letters were involved in the making of the videos from start to finish, from revising/editing their letters into a production script to reading them in the sound-recording booth to acting in the videos. These videos also received two Emmy nominations and other awards.
In addition to the show itself, Michelle and Allan collaborated on a series of videos based on a Drop the Mic essay assignment that Michelle gives to her Developmental English students. In 2019, Michelle, Allan, and the CCPTV crew took four of these letters and made them into five videos.