Moore Magnet Elementary School students are getting the latest news around their school from a source they can trust – their own classmates.
For the past four years, students have been in charge of delivering the morning announcements at Moore. Magnet Coordinator Kellie Harris started the program to help students hone their media technology skills in a practical environment. Delivering daily shows on a tight timetable for hundreds of people to see also fosters the students’ work ethics and teaches them the importance of producing projects they can be proud of.
“Because we’re a STEAM magnet school, students can take the lead on projects like this,” Harris said. “It’s an opportunity for students to take on a leadership role in their school.”
The program started small with announcements read over the intercom, but the team is running a much more comprehensive operation now. Every day, students produce a new video announcement show for the following morning, which they have to script, perform, record, and edit themselves. Shows cover student birthdays, lunch menus, the weather, new school policies and activities, and shoutouts for anyone doing great things around the school.
The fifth graders who have worked with the announcements team for several years feel that they’ve learned a lot from the experience. They’re well-versed in editing videos through Canva, and they’ve gotten better at articulating themselves when discussing new topics. Confidence in front of large groups will be a valuable skill for them, regardless of what they choose to do with their futures.
“You learn how to present in front of a crowd,” said Fifth Grader Shondre Robinson. “There are a lot of jobs that are going to require that.”
The announcements team is also a collaborative work environment where everyone gets to contribute something pivotal. Mistakes show up on camera, so everyone needs to pull their own weight to make the final product the best it can be. It’s high-pressure work, but it’s something these young journalists are proud to be a part of.
“It’s fun, but you have to be responsible,” said Fifth Grader Aubrei Bowers. “You have to learn to communicate, and you have to be able to speak up.”