The use of artificial intelligence in public schools, the abandonment of school campuses, nurses’ heavy workloads and low pay, and the condition of some sports facilities in Comerío. Those were the topics chosen and investigated by 23 students ages 13 to 17 from Comerío and Naranjito who participated in the Medioscopio project, with mentorship from journalists, editors and photographers from the Centro de Periodismo Investigativo (CPI).
The participants produced podcasts and videos on these issues after meeting for 12 Saturdays at the El Cielito Community Center, taking part in multiple workshops as part of Medioscopio’s fifth edition. The media literacy and citizen journalism project is coordinated by the Instituto de Formación Periodística — CPI’s educational arm — in collaboration this year with Casa Juana Colón, a nonprofit organization based in Comerío.
Joined by relatives and mentors, the Medioscopio participants presented their final projects Saturday and spoke about their experiences and what they learned during the sessions, which were coordinated by Ishbel Cora, CPI program officer and community relations coordinator.
During the team reporting process, one group used the tools it had learned to publicize an initiative called Movimiento Juvenil por la Educación Pública, or Youth Movement for Public Education, led by Joniel Zayas Cintrón and Ánferli Falcón Camacho. The initiative seeks to denounce injustice and neglect in schools, fight the privatization of Puerto Rico’s public education system, express solidarity with teachers and empower students.
“If they keep closing doors on us, we are going to break through the wall, because it is our responsibility as young people to move this country forward,” Zayas Cintrón said after Falcón Camacho explained how they tried to secure an interview for their podcast with Education Secretary Eliezer Ramos but were unable to make it happen. Falcón Camacho said the experience helped them understand the obstacles journalists face in gaining access to public officials and in seeking public information, as the group filed a data request that went unanswered.
As part of their podcast with Alanis Pérez Hernández, they discussed the importance of sensory development among students and the need for school funding.
Recognizing the work carried out by Medioscopio 2026 participants, CPI Executive Director Carla Minet told the group: “We are proud of you, of your performance in Medioscopio, and we are excited to see you grow as people who are interested in what is happening around you, in your community, and to know that you are becoming people who take action in the face of the challenges we face as a country.”
Coralis Rivera, coordinator of Casa Juana Colón’s Semillas de Transformación project, said she was proud of the participants’ contributions and hopeful about Puerto Rico’s future. She thanked the students’ relatives for supporting them so they could take part in Medioscopio.
“This project would not have been possible without the support of Casa Juana Colón and the Municipality of Comerío, which opened the doors of the El Cielito Community Center so we could meet every Saturday. The municipality also supported us with transportation for the group,” CPI’s executive director said.
Another youth team interviewed Comerío Mayor Irvin Rivera González for its video podcast about the poor condition of some sports parks in the municipality’s communities. The mayor, who agreed to the interview from the outset, gave Génesis Carrasquillo Oyola and Joelniel Guzmán Rivera details on the status of recovery funds for those facilities and discussed the challenges posed by the weather when choosing materials that can withstand the elements, among other obstacles to keeping the parks in optimal condition. In response to the participants’ questions, Rivera González also committed to improving signage at the facilities to indicate the hours during which they can be used.
Since February, Medioscopio has offered workshops on citizen and community journalism; critical analysis of the media; how to identify fake news; the right of access to information; photography, video and editing; podcast production; social media content; how to create nonsexist content; racial and gender diversity and representation in the media; voice and diction; narrative development through rap; and a guided tour through downtown Comerío on the legacy of community leader Juana Colón.
“I have been able to distinguish what is news, what is a rumor, and what is an opinion. Then, to be able to explore different sources, not to stay with just one. … We can diversify, we can explore and we can create a clear, optimal and personal understanding of the information we acquire,” Alexandra Malavé Padilla said of her experience in Medioscopio.
The heavy workload facing nurses in Puerto Rico and how it affects the services they provide to patients was the topic investigated by the team made up of Amaure Gabriel Ramos Salas, Aleishka Nahir Cintrón Falcón, Yainniel Omar Cintrón and Sabrina Guzmán Rivera.
As part of their podcast project, they interviewed nurses Yasmindre Ramos and Tamika Cintrón, who denounced staff shortages, long workdays, the number of patients assigned to them and the low salaries they earn. They called on the Puerto Rico House of Representatives to advance Senate Bill 687 — already approved by the Senate — which proposes establishing a nurse-to-patient ratio.
The team made up of Alexandra Malavé Padilla, Natalia Pérez Ayala, Miriam E. Concepción Colón and Gianxavier Cordero Figueroa addressed the use of artificial intelligence in public schools. They raised concerns about the excessive use some students make of the tool and the problems it can pose for students’ cognitive development.
For their project, they interviewed Dr. Luis Rosarrio Arroyo, a public health professor, who emphasized the importance of training educators so they use artificial intelligence properly in the teaching process. Cristina Pérez Cruz, an English teacher, said excessive use of artificial intelligence limits students’ ability to engage in critical thinking, though she acknowledged it can be a useful tool for certain tasks.
Those attending the closing event were also surprised by a visit from Taller Toca Plena de Comerío, whose traditional Puerto Rican music filled the cultural center with joy and call-and-response chants.
The Medioscopio project was made possible with support from the Ángel Ramos Foundation, Universal and the Municipality of Comerío. The event also featured Rubiam Martínez from the Ángel Ramos Foundation and José Gabriel Morales from Universal. Carlos Rodríguez Vidal, president of CPI’s board of directors, also attended.
This translation was generated with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and clarity.
