Terra High School Serial Podcast
In the 2025-26 school year, students in Terra High School's Human Centered Design course investigated the 1992 Coweta County tire fire, an environmental catastrophe involving millions of illegally stockpiled tires. Students researched, wrote, recorded, and produced what ultimately became a three-part serial podcast outlining:
The History of the Tire Fire
The Science and the Data
The Future of Palmetto
The series places you in the heat and chaos of the initial July ignition, featuring interviews with lead responder Bert Langley and residents who recall the massive plume of black smoke that could be seen from space. In the second episode, students transition into scientific analysis, conducting soil and water experiments to test for modern lead contamination while discussing the biological hazards of heavy metals. The final episode examines the disaster's long-term legislative legacy, specifically how the fire prompted the creation of Georgia’s Solid Waste Trust Fund and how recent policy changes have finally ensured that tire fees are used for environmental remediation.