Sitting at a 6-foot table in front of a green screen, sixth-graders Charlotte and Jojo welcome viewers to the first broadcast of the Newport Heights Shark News Crew’s 2024-25 season. After introducing themselves and commenting on their excitement over the new school year, they lead into a Shark Spotlight interview with “new and fabulous” drama teacher Kelly Archibald. 

The remainder of the 20-minute broadcast features crew members interviewing teachers and fellow students in a series of segments with guessing games and taste testing with a Halloween theme. Other crew members operate the camera, edit footage, including digitally inserting backgrounds into the anchor segments, and more. In all, about 30 students work with two teachers to create each month’s broadcast.   

“Through this program, students are building essential skills in leadership, teamwork, and communication. It’s inspiring to watch them grow in confidence as they work together to create something meaningful for their peers,” said Principal Terri Clarke.

At Killybrooke Elementary, about 19 students have joined the newly formed Colt’s Corner broadcast team. Every Monday, student reporters from fourth through sixth grades offer positive affirmations, a rundown of the week’s events and lunch menu, a weather report, highlights from student government, and interviews with fellow students. There’s also a slideshow presentation on the university of the week that includes a shout-out to the teacher(s) who attended those universities. 

“This is more interactive than the regular morning announcements we used to do. Students are much more engaged in the broadcast, whether they’re involved in the filming or watching in the classroom,” said Principal Laura Taylor.    

“I feel like I’m helping my school by spreading the news around the whole campus,” said Zeid Qaiser, a sixth-grader at Killybrooke.

At both schools, the students take ownership of the broadcasts while building skills in leadership, teamwork, public speaking, researching, critical thinking, interviewing, and more. Students prepare content with a little help from school staff, who give helpful direction. “They’re learning to communicate in real-world situations in real-time with confidence and integrity,” Taylor said.

For Killybrooke fourth-grader Nora Sieven, being part of the broadcast team is exciting because it’s new and she gets to share information with her peers. “I’ve always liked writing, and one of my favorite things about doing the news is talking to people I don’t know and asking them questions,” she said. 

As they record their news shows during recess and other free time, the students also learn filming techniques, editing skills, and more, including prop placement. Among the challenges the Killybrooke students mentioned was figuring out where to keep their scripts and how to look natural and not appear to be reading from their scripts. They’re also guiding classmates in proper on-camera behavior when conducting interviews. 

“Sometimes, when we watch what we recorded, someone will want to redo it because they don’t like how it sounds or they’re looking down or not speaking into the camera, and that can be challenging. We have to try it again to get it right,” said Natalia Malcolm, a sixth-grader at Killybrooke.

“The students take responsibility for every aspect of filming, from what to say to how it’s presented. The leadership skills they’re learning are so valuable,” Clarke said. “We have students who take what they’ve learned about filming at Newport Heights and go on to middle and high school to learn more advanced skills in journalism, media, and digital technology. 

Both Newport Heights and Killybrooke principals say they’ve seen students embrace their roles with dedication, showing creativity, confidence, and an eagerness to learn more as they promote student voices. Whether they’re anchoring segments, capturing footage, or working behind-the-scenes, these young broadcasters are developing practical skills to serve them well in their future academic and career paths. As they continue into middle and high school, they’ll have the opportunity to explore career technical education pathways in digital media arts, film, and video production, further refining their talents and preparing for exciting futures in media and beyond.