In Broadcast Tech at West Rutland School, the goal was to create daily school news that the entire school could watch for the Morning Announcements. Ms. Rodolfy’s class came up with the title “Westside Daily” which premieres every morning on our YouTube channel at 7:50am. At the beginning of the semester, we experimented with some different video editing services and decided to use WeVideo. We record in front of a green screen using professional lighting and audio equipment.
The students each took over a different section of the news. We have two lead anchors, two sports anchors, two students covering special news throughout the school, one for the weather and history of the day, and one student who covers the career of the day. Students interview a teacher weekly to feature on the news and they also visit classrooms throughout the school to showcase projects that students are working on. For sports, we’ve been lucky enough this basketball season to have the use of the Hudl program, which is a great way for us to show the school highlights from varsity games. We also feature field trips, music department productions, and more.
The morning announcements have become a great way for the school and the community to stay connected. There aren’t many PreK-12 schools left anymore, and sometimes there can be a disconnect between what is happening at the high school level and what’s going on at the elementary level. Westside Daily bridges this gap and brings the entire school together.
“It’s been a great way to reach out and connect and tell the community our stories,” says Izzy Griffith. “Not only do we have parents watching, but I’ve heard members of the community watch it too, which is so cool,” Bradee Traverse agreed.
West Rutland has been one of the first schools in GRCSU to really delve into this type of technology; from script writing to learning how to use the equipment, and most importantly, editing. Students have fallen into routine and know what to work on when they walk into the classroom, know when to ask questions, and take initiative to find stories and record interviews on their own. When asked if they’ve liked this class and the Westside Daily, the students collectively said “yes!”. This can certainly be a testament to how engaging this class is, and the importance of school and community engagement.
Listening in and observing how they conduct their work within the class, you can certainly tell they enjoy this project. Students have almost naturally fallen into their roles, take them seriously, and work diligently each day to produce a great broadcast each morning. Check out some behind the scenes photos below!
If you would like to watch the Westside Daily, please click this link: Westside Daily Announcements
