Kyra Miles
Report for America Education Reporter
Kyra is a Report for America Corps Member that covers education for WBHM.
Kyra is originally from Greenville, North Carolina and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media.
Through Report for America, Kyra also engages in service projects around the community and is dedicated to highlighting local journalism. Outside of WBHM, Kyra loves traveling, reading fantasy novels, and connecting with people in her community.
Birmingham school aims to bring Montessori to Black families
Montessori is an education philosophy that emphasizes student-led learning. It also tends to be associated with rich, suburban families. One Montessori school in Birmingham is flipping that stereotype.
‘Were you scared?’: Birmingham family talks about civil rights then and now
71-year-old Birmingham native Jeff Drew took part in the movement starting as a young child. Drew sat down with his 14-year-old granddaughter Sidnee King to talk about civil rights then and now.
60 years later, kids still march in Birmingham
Sixty years ago thousands of children took to the streets in Birmingham to protest against racism and discrimination. On Friday, teens from around the city gathered to reenact this historic moment known as the Children’s Crusade.
Fentanyl is killing more young people in Alabama
The fentanyl epidemic has opened a new front for schools in the fight against illegal drugs. That’s changing how groups educate students and parents about opioids and harm reduction.
Any school can get you a diploma. This school might get you a house
Fewer young people want to work in trade jobs than ever before, and that’s left a hole in the job market. A private school in Birmingham is giving some young people skills needed to address that problem.
Birmingham-Southern College to stay open — for now
The decision follows a few tense months after years of financial stress came to a head in December. The private college is asking for $37 million in public money. It hasn’t received that money, but the future's looking brighter for students.
An inside look at an AP African American Studies class
As Southern political leaders continue to take aim at critical race theory in education, students at Baton Rouge Magnet High call the AP pilot class empowering.
How a rare edition of ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ traveled from Italy to Lawson State
Lawson State Community College now owns a rare copy of one of the most influential books in American history. And it took a 5,000 mile journey to get there.
Preparing for the ‘experience of a lifetime’: Birmingham students to sing at Carnegie Hall
The choir at Ramsay High School is heading to Carnegie Hall this May. It’s an opportunity to boost school pride, but also to give some students the experience of a lifetime.
A local hip-hop education group teaches kids life skills
Here in Birmingham, the education collective Knowledge Rhythm and Understanding, known as K.R.U., is using the music genre to teach life skills.
Some kids in Birmingham dodge trains and cars walking to school. More buses could help
Alabama only has to provide bus access for families that live within two miles of their school, which leaves some families having to walk in dangerous conditions. Birmingham City Schools is trying to add new routes to address these concerns.
Birmingham-Southern president says he’ll do everything possible to keep the college open
Birmingham-Southern College, a private institution, is asking the state to help bail it out after financial troubles. School President Daniel Coleman shared with WBHM what he sees as the path ahead for the college.
Students and faculty nervous about Birmingham-Southern’s financial stress, possible closing
Students, alumni and faculty of Birmingham-Southern College are nervous after school officials revealed the campus could close as early as next year. The private college is now asking for $37 million in public money, most of it from the state, to keep the doors open.
After years in a museum exhibit, Alabama is giving Native Americans their cultural items back
Alabama’s state archive has over 100 sets of ancestral remains and thousands of objects from Native American graves. Now, the institution is giving them back.
Lament and Hope Memorial Ride honors those lost to gun violence in Birmingham
This weekend, over 100 cars with flags honoring people who have died in homicides this year will ride through downtown Birmingham.
City officials want parents to combat gun violence. Community leaders say it’s not that simple
Officials point to parents and the need for strong community networks to stop gun violence in Birmingham. They say it takes a village. But it’s not just the people in charge saying that, it’s also kids, activists, and the parents themselves.
Teens say Birmingham’s gun violence takes a heavy toll
At least 11 students in Birmingham have died due to gun violence since the beginning of the year, and their peers say the ongoing issue causes their mental health to suffer.
New aviation charter school aims to diversify the cockpit
Since the pandemic began, the aviation industry is down two-million workers and those who remain are overwhelmingly white. One new charter school in Bessemer hopes to address both issues by preparing diverse students for jobs in aviation.
School resource officers turn to mental health to make kids safer
Parents’ school safety concerns carry more weight this year after the mass shooting in May at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. School resource officers in Hoover are adjusting by placing a greater emphasis on mental health.
The story of ‘the Colony’: How a small, Black community thrived, survived in Cullman County
The Colony, Cullman County’s only Black community, has a rich history of resilience and self-made success. Its current residents are working to continue it.
New aviation high school in Bessemer aims to help students soar
At the Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School, students, parents and teachers are excited as they prepare for the school’s take off on Monday.
How one Birmingham custodian preps for the first day of school
When the kids are away, the custodial and maintenance staff in schools work all summer long. One custodian told WBHM about what it takes to keep the kids happy and healthy as they trade sunshine for fluorescent lights.
American b-girl wins silver at The World Games. Hopeful for the 2024 Olympics
Sunny Choi is a New York corporate professional by day and a top-ranked, back-spinning, floor-flipping b-girl off the clock. She medaled this past weekend at the World Games.
The World Games kicks off in Birmingham
Thousands of athletes from around the world have gathered in Birmingham to compete in The World Games. The eleven-day competition is a chance for non-Olympic sports to shine.
Buttigieg announces funding aimed at reconnecting communities divided by road projects
The program is designed to unify neighborhoods which have previously been displaced by discriminatory infrastructure decisions. The $1 billion initiative will fund projects that give people more access to their communities like paving more sidewalks, creating new greenways and adding public transportation.
Food is more than what’s on the plate for this Birmingham urban farmer
Fernando Colunga says it’s important to understand how food is grown and the culture it comes from. He’s a farming and cooking instructor at Jones Valley Teaching Farm in Birmingham and is passionate about teaching the significance of food to young people.
Birmingham awards diplomas to students who died before graduation
Not every student who starts school lives to graduate. It’s estimated nearly 2,000 children and teens die from gun violence every year in the United States. This week Birmingham City Schools awarded diplomas to the families of some of those lost students.
What do Birmingham students think about race, college, even periods? Listen to these podcasts
WBHM’s education reporter Kyra Miles, along with two Report for America colleagues at al.com, worked with students at Birmingham’s Ramsay High School to create podcasts.
Some teachers and LGBTQ families feel censored by Alabama’s “Don’t Say Gay” law
Alabama passed its own so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law in April following states like Florida. It bans discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in K-5 classrooms.
Judge’s ruling a “sigh of relief” for families of transgender youth
A federal judge in Alabama ruled to block part of a law that makes it a felony to provide gender-affirming care to minors on Friday. Families with transgender kids tell WBHM they are cautiously relieved.
Judge hears testimony in challenge to Alabama’s ban on gender-affirming care
A group of parents and doctors want the judge to stop the law from going into effect while a lawsuit continues.
Families with trans kids prepare for the ban on gender-affirming care
A new law in Alabama would make it a felony to provide gender-affirming treatments for transgender minors. The law is forcing some families with transgender kids to choose between staying in the place they love and protecting their children.
