March 3, 2005

Lights, cameras, diction: MLS kids do the news

By Lauren Heaton

Up in the Mills Lawn School newsroom at the top of each morning, a crew of fifth- and sixth-grade students sit tall and speak clearly as they greet their fellow classmates over the TV screens placed in every classroom.

The three newscasters and two technical assistants who broadcast the “WMLS Morning News” relay important information that every student wants and needs to know. What’s for lunch, for instance, has a crucial effect on how the rest of the day will go. And the weather: is it cold enough to wear a coat for recess or sunny enough to leave the coats behind?

At 8:35 last Friday morning, a voice over the school’s intercom instructed teachers to turn their televisions to channel 9. The sounds of a Miles Davis trumpet solo ushered in the newscast, in which fifth-graders Miranda Russell and Colton Pitstick sat like real newscasters in front of cameraman Zane Knisley, reading the prompts from a computer screen.

“Good morning, it’s Friday, February 25, 2005. I’m Miranda Russell,” Miranda said as her feet bobbed under the table.

“And I’m Colton Pitstick. Welcome to the ‘WMLS Morning News,’ ” Colton said, looking at the camera with a smirk.

Zane focused the camera on Miranda, who began with the lunch menu of grilled cheese, tomato soup and a fresh fruit cup. After announcing the day’s birthdays, the camera panned over to weather person Alex Myers, who stood in front of a cloud, sun and snowflake montage as he forecast cold and possible snow flurries with a bit of sunshine.

The newscast lasts 5 to 10 minutes and often includes student art, poetry readings, a quote of the day or a short presentation of a project such as the native American totem poles constructed by the fifth-grade class this month. Several weeks ago, the news anchors led off with chorus tunes from Mills Lawn’s recent production of Schoolhouse Rock Live! while students in the classrooms sang along.

“It’s good practice in public speaking, learning to speak clearly and slowly and to ham it up a little bit,” said news producer and teacher Amy Minehart, who coordinates the program with Interest Learning Education coordinator Becky O’Brien. “It’s primarily a way to have the kids do something they really enjoy.”

When the morning news program started nearly nine years ago, it was the principal who read the day’s announcements from a hand-held sheet of paper. The program has evolved over time to allow the students to fill the broadcasting roles. The equipment has also evolved from handwritten cardboard prompts to computer screen scrolls, studio lights and a dedicated space in the media room above the school library.

Two weeks ago, the MLS newscast began broadcasting live on Yellow Springs cable access channel 13. When the school hits its broadcast switch at 8:35, the Village also hits its own switch, so that local residents can see and hear their children report what they did in class and other things parents might not normally hear through discussions at home.

The students enjoy appearing on TV in front of their peers, and now in front of the village, they said. “I like being seen by the whole school because it’s awesome!” Miranda said.

Fifty fifth- and sixth-graders volunteered to be either a newscaster or a technical support person or running the camera, the lights and the music. With the news crews rotating every week, each student gets to participate three or four times per year.

An equal number of third- and fourth-graders also volunteer for the afternoon news, a segment that includes the bus schedule and an end of the day salutation and is designed to prepare the younger students for the following year’s experience. The students often need more practice than they think, especially after seeing themselves make mistakes on live television.

A new crew showed up on Monday morning to start the next week’s news program.

“If you see yourself, then you notice all your mistakes,” sixth-grader Michael Finster said.

“And your funny faces,” sixth-grader Geoffrey Pitts said.

“But it’s fun to do anyway,” Aprile Doubt said.

“Especially if you can’t see all the people who are watching you,” Michael said.