BC News

BCMS morning announcements put students in the anchor chair
Release Date: Feb. 8, 2010

Room No. 34 — or the control room as it might be called by the Middle School announcements production crew — is a flurry of activity between 8:05 and 8:20 a.m.

The student crew arrives and quickly gets down to business. Student anchors take their scripts and begin preparing for the show. The production staff get ready to load text, transition cameras, and juggle footage. Teachers and club advisors drop off last minute announcements, hoping they make that day’s broadcast.

“We pack a lot of stuff into 15 minutes,” said Tim Connelly, a technology teacher who, along with history teacher Jim Smith, oversees the announcements. They are quick to point out that they are essentially a student-run show five days a week that covers everything from sports scores and important academic reminders to club and activity announcements.

“We turn the key and turn on the lights; they do the rest,” Mr. Smith said.

Indeed, students who are involved say it is a great learning experience.

“It makes you more confident,” said Fred Docous, an 8th grade student who started with the announcements last year. “You know you are in front of the whole school. It will help you when you’re older and you’re talking to large groups of people. You know you’re talking to the whole school right now.”

Kayla Sturges, also in 8th grade, said she was drawn to the announcements because it looked like fun being on TV before her peers.

“It’s been an everyday routine and I’ve learned a lot,” she said before anchoring the announcements on a Thursday morning in January.

The televised announcements began airing about four years ago, thanks to a grant for equipment from Time Warner Cable. At that time, they were produced two days a week from the school’s library.

Facility improvements at the Middle School as part of the districtwide building campaign allowed the operation to move into the studio where it resides today a couple years ago. The equipment has been funded primarily by grants, including a recent purchase of a wireless microphone thanks to Bethlehem Opportunities Unlimited.

A rotating crew of about 20 producers and anchors work on the announcements. They typically begin at about 8:15 and last about 5 minutes or so. They are piped into all classrooms during homeroom via the closed circuit television wiring and projected onto screens at the front of each room.

The announcements typically feature a round-up of upcoming club meetings and activities scheduled for the school, a sports report on how BCMS teams have fared; academic information and opportunities; and occasionally a special guest spot featuring a school administrator with an important announcement.

A recent week’s broadcasts featured student produced videos for an upcoming Grade 6 Social and a fundraiser for earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. Mohawk House Leader David Zadoorian stopped by with some updates for students.

Connelly said that in the future, they hope to be able to also air the announcements over the Middle School’s Web site.

As the news was about to get underway on a recent Thursday morning, Docous made his way through the control room. Mr. Connelly pointed out the fact that he wants to be an anchor in the future.

 

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