Inside Jegna Klub: Where Judge Candice Alcaraz's Story Inspired Future Leaders and Built a Lasting Legacy
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
By Levi Lee
Long before the cameras begin recording, something meaningful is already happening inside The Jegna Klub Headquarters.
Tripods are adjusted one final time. Studio lights slowly brighten the room. Audio levels are checked. Youth interns quietly review notes while exchanging encouraging glances across the set. Behind the scenes, production monitors flicker with multiple camera angles, revealing a level of professionalism that surprises many first-time visitors. What looks like a television studio is exactly that—a working newsroom where young people are trusted with real responsibility.
On this day, those cameras would capture more than another interview.
They would preserve a conversation between Wyandotte County's first Black female District Court Judge, Judge Candice Alcaraz, and two young interviewers who were eager to learn from someone whose journey had already changed local history.
Yet before the microphones were switched on, Judge Alcaraz admitted she carried a feeling many guests quietly share. "I was nervous," she reflected later. "I don't normally like talking about myself."
It didn't take long for that feeling to disappear. Within minutes, the atmosphere shifted from formal interview to genuine conversation. That transformation is exactly what The Jegna Klub was built to create.
Through its Connecting The Dottes Multimedia Internship, students aren't participating in simulated classroom exercises. They are producing professional programming that airs on JEGNAFEST Worldwide Radio syndicated on 150 radio stations globally and streams worldwide on the Jegna Klub TV Network. Every role—from camera operator and technical director to producer and host—belongs to young people gaining real-world experience in journalism, broadcasting, leadership, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. The interviews become something much bigger than content. They become classrooms without desks.
Judge Alcaraz's own journey fit naturally into that mission. Born and raised in Chicago, she left the familiarity of home to attend Truman State University after a guidance counselor challenged her to step outside her comfort zone. If she could succeed there, he told her, she could succeed anywhere.
He was right.
Graduating magna cum laude with a Criminal Justice degree, earning her law degree from Washburn University, passing the Kansas Bar on her first attempt, serving as a prosecutor, and eventually becoming Wyandotte County's first Black female District Court Judge are milestones that tell only part of her story.
The more powerful lesson is found between those accomplishments.
It is the willingness to move before feeling completely ready.
That message quietly echoed throughout the interview.
As the conversation unfolded, the studio grew noticeably quieter. Questions were no longer read from a script alone. They became conversations fueled by curiosity.
Lead interviewer Payton later described the experience with a phrase only a young journalist could perfectly capture. "Main Character Energy." Interviewing a judge for the second time in a month, he said, "hits different." His favorite part wasn't simply asking questions. "It was her responses. She really talked to us."
That authenticity mattered.
Across from him, co-host Rickie Hudson admitted he initially felt unsure. "I wasn't sure how to read the script at first." But somewhere during the interview, confidence replaced uncertainty. He discovered common ground with Judge Alcaraz and left inspired not only by her achievements but by her honesty about navigating college, overcoming doubt, and refusing to let others determine when she was ready to pursue her dreams. One lesson stayed with him. "Practice and go over the script days before."
Simple advice.
Powerful growth.
Those moments often happen inside The Jegna Klub.
Young people don't simply interview successful leaders.
They watch resilience unfold in real time.
Judge Alcaraz said one of her favorite parts of the visit had nothing to do with cameras.
"Thinking over my life and reflecting on all the things that have gotten me here was a nice reflection."
That pause became contagious.
Everyone in the room seemed to slow down.
For a few moments, production schedules and technical checklists disappeared.
What remained was perspective.
Guests frequently arrive expecting to inspire students.
Many leave realizing the students have inspired them.
By the interview's conclusion, Judge Alcaraz described herself as feeling "good" and "at ease."
More importantly, she appreciated having the opportunity "to be open and tell my story, my way."
That ownership matters.
Stories carry different weight when people are trusted to tell them authentically.
Perhaps the biggest surprise wasn't found in the questions themselves.
It was found in the connection created between generations.
Coach Mo who observed from behind the cameras, watched two interns conduct their first interview together. "I was excited for Payton and RJ to work together for the first time." By the end, he was simply "very proud." Watching the conversation unfold reinforced another lesson for future productions. "Give the interns some more time to engage with guests off camera before starting the interview. It makes everyone more comfortable."
Those small adjustments continue shaping a program designed around continuous growth—for students and guests alike.
When asked to summarize the experience in one phrase, Coach Mo chose words that reached far beyond television production.
"Lifelong Memories."
It's difficult to disagree.
Few teenagers can say they interviewed the first Black woman to serve as a District Court Judge in Wyandotte County.
Fewer still can say they did so while producing a professional broadcast viewed by audiences far beyond Kansas City.
Before leaving, Judge Alcaraz offered perhaps the most revealing reflection of the day. "Motivated. This interview helped me remember why I'm doing what I'm doing."
Those words perfectly capture what happens inside The Jegna Klub every week.
The cameras document conversations.
The interns build careers.
Guests rediscover purpose.
Communities strengthen relationships.
And young people begin seeing themselves differently—not simply as students preparing for tomorrow, but as communicators, creators, leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals making an impact today.
Every visitor leaves behind more than an interview.
They leave perspective.
They leave encouragement.
They leave a roadmap that another young person may someday follow.
Inside The Jegna Klub Headquarters, that's the true production taking place.
Not just another broadcast.
A legacy—one conversation at a time.
Stay tuned for more inspiring stories at Jegna World Blog and follow Jegna Klub on social media for updates.
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