Taking listeners on a journey through his mind, Sam Mitchell, 17, said he is podcasting to change the world. His podcast, “Autism Rocks and Rolls,” has more than 1,200 downloads and close to 200 followers on Podbean with listeners across the country and in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Indonesia, Canada and Sweden.
Mitchell is a high school junior at Eastern Greene High School in Bloomfield, Indiana. He started “Autism Rocks and Rolls” in October 2019. His podcast episodes are also on Spotify, iTunes and YouTube.
“I am very excited to explain many different traits about autism and how I roll,” Mitchell wrote in a description about his first episode, “Sam’s Stories.”
IU alumna Gina Mitchell, Sam's mother, said her son was diagnosed with autism when he was 4, and since then, she has pushed for him to have the same opportunities as other students.
“He’s who he is, and he thinks differently, but we all do,” Gina Mitchell said. “He’s always been encouraged to further his strengths, and his strength just happens to be podcasting.”
Judy Milnes, a mentor to Sam and fourth-grade teacher at Eastern Greene Elementary School, said the enthusiasm in his voice makes people want to listen.
“He’s so honest about what he’s talking about,” Milnes said. “Telling his stories about how he feels about certain things and about experiences that he’s had in life so far is very helpful for people understanding autism.”
Mitchell also works on his high school’s podcast, “Thundercast,” with other students in the media club. He has recorded audio for a documentary on the marching band and is now completing pre-production for a short film. For “Thundercast,” he interviews teachers and staff in his high school and helps people understand issues affecting the Eastern Greene School District.
Mitchell said he has gained confidence by sharing his stories through podcasting. He said he also has plans for the future of “Autism Rocks and Rolls.” He is hoping to create more listener engagement by having a podcast email people can contact him at.
“It’s a basic thing, but it’s impacting the world in a big way,” Mitchell said. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”
