Lights, Camera, Action!
Every morning at 8:40 a.m., members of the Media Club gather in the television studio in the basement of Kendall Elementary to prepare the set for the morning announcements.
The studio is a buzz with activity as background designers set up cue cards for the anchors, and refresh the backdrop art, some of which they've created themselves. The camera man checks to be sure the equipment is set up properly, while students in the sound booth complete the microphone check. The anchors, meteorologist and sportscaster practice their lines while advisors Kristen Hamm, Grace Adams and Leanne Swaciak standby, ready to offer assistance. The kids pretty much do it all,” said Hamm.
By 8:50 a.m., a switch is flipped in the sound booth, the televisions throughout Kendall Elementary come to life, and as they say in Hollywood, it's lights, camera, action! Students watching in their classrooms learn the lunch special, which grades are on bus duty, the weather, sports, and school announcements. The technicians in the sound booth cue up a video of a flag waving in the wind, and the anchors lead the school in the pledge of allegiance.
From the perspective of a viewer, the production looks effortless; however, much work goes on behind the scenes.
The reporters, technical crew and set designers spend Thursday afternoons preparing reports, special videos and backdrops for the broadcast,” said Hamm.
Sixth-graders have been producing the morning announcements at Kendall Elementary School for more than a decade now. The Media Club members who run the morning show are recommended by teachers in fifth-grade so they can shadow the sixth-grade team and get a chance to run the entire show before they take over. Students selected for the announcements must posses strong communication skills, work well with others, and have good academic standing, said Hamm.
“The Media Club members are involved in many extracurricular activities,” said Hamm. “They have made a great commitment and they work very hard to keep up their grades and show up early for Media Club every morning.”
In addition to set design, sixth-grader Jenna Lasapio sometimes fills-in for the anchors. She said Media Club has helped her gain confidence and new friends.
“We're very serious about it, and it's really fun,” she said.
The studio is a buzz with activity as background designers set up cue cards for the anchors, and refresh the backdrop art, some of which they've created themselves. The camera man checks to be sure the equipment is set up properly, while students in the sound booth complete the microphone check. The anchors, meteorologist and sportscaster practice their lines while advisors Kristen Hamm, Grace Adams and Leanne Swaciak standby, ready to offer assistance. The kids pretty much do it all,” said Hamm.
By 8:50 a.m., a switch is flipped in the sound booth, the televisions throughout Kendall Elementary come to life, and as they say in Hollywood, it's lights, camera, action! Students watching in their classrooms learn the lunch special, which grades are on bus duty, the weather, sports, and school announcements. The technicians in the sound booth cue up a video of a flag waving in the wind, and the anchors lead the school in the pledge of allegiance.
From the perspective of a viewer, the production looks effortless; however, much work goes on behind the scenes.
The reporters, technical crew and set designers spend Thursday afternoons preparing reports, special videos and backdrops for the broadcast,” said Hamm.
Sixth-graders have been producing the morning announcements at Kendall Elementary School for more than a decade now. The Media Club members who run the morning show are recommended by teachers in fifth-grade so they can shadow the sixth-grade team and get a chance to run the entire show before they take over. Students selected for the announcements must posses strong communication skills, work well with others, and have good academic standing, said Hamm.
“The Media Club members are involved in many extracurricular activities,” said Hamm. “They have made a great commitment and they work very hard to keep up their grades and show up early for Media Club every morning.”
In addition to set design, sixth-grader Jenna Lasapio sometimes fills-in for the anchors. She said Media Club has helped her gain confidence and new friends.
“We're very serious about it, and it's really fun,” she said.