TimesLeader.com

October 1
Trail TV is on the air

Mauri Rapp Abington Journal Correspondent

FACTORYVILLE - They may not be co-hosting “The Today Show” just yet, but some local sixth-grade students are already becoming old hands at anchoring their own morning program. Lackawanna Trail Elementary Center’s “Morning Broadcast,” a live broadcast of the school’s morning announcements, is filtered daily into each elementary classroom with the help of the entire sixth-grade class.

Hosting Lackawanna Trail Elementary Center’s Morning Broadcast are, from left, Kelsey Hopkins, Principal Jeffrey Gregory and Kasey Buck

Abington Journal/Mauri Rapp

New to the school this year, the concept comes from Elementary Center Principal Jeff Gregory, who developed it from a former colleague in the Old Forge School District. Members of the sixth-grade class alternate turns each week, three at a time, to act as “hosts” of the morning announcements. The announcements are then broadcast through live video feed from the library of the school to closed-circuit televisions in each of the elementary center’s classrooms.

A typical day begins with an announcement over the school’s PA system instructing teachers to tune into Channel 80 on their classroom television. Then, it’s “lights, camera, action” as the weekly hosts, along with Principal Gregory, update students, faculty, administration and staff members on the elementary center’s current announcements. This includes the day’s cafeteria menu, birthdays, daily weather reports, school as well as national sporting events, and sometimes even special guests. High school basketball coach Andrew Kettle appeared as a guest last Friday.

Gregory said that he also plans to use the five-minute morning broadcast to address students about ongoing issues within the school. “It’s a tool that can be used for so many things, for the benefit of the students,” he said.

Students alternate hosting duties on a weekly basis, allowing interested students from all four of the elementary center’s sixth-grade classes to participate in the program. Gregory said that appearing on-camera can be intimidating for some students at the beginning of the week. “They start out on the first day like a deer in headlights,” he joked, “but by the end of the week, they’re experts at it.” Last week featured Kelsey Hopkins and Kasey Buck, and although the duo conceded that they enjoyed hosting the program, they said they have no future plans to become the next Katie Couric. “It was fun, but I got a little bit nervous,” said Buck.

No show would be complete without a dependable crew. Grace Wetzel and Kaylah Woodcock are behind the scenes operating the camera and Ed Gaidula, Lackawanna Trail School District Director of Technology, along with computer teacher Jim Kotz, make sure the technology is there each day to insure the announcements go off without a hitch.

One reason the broadcast has been successful so far, according to Gregory, is the visual aid that it provides for the students. “Someone could sit and read announcements over a PA system, but the kids might not remember what they hear in the morning,” he said. “This way, you know they’re paying attention, because it’s on television.” Gregory also said that the broadcast helps new students in the school recognize him more easily. “I have kindergartners coming up to me saying ‘I saw you on the commercial today,’ ” he said with a laugh.

According to Gregory, so far the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Future plans for the project, he said, include possibly applying for a grant that will allow the broadcast to move from the library into a more permanent location. And, Gregory said, the morning broadcast gives students something to look forward to each day. “Everyone wants to tune in, especially on Fridays, to see what we’re going to do that day,” he said. “I think it brings us closer together as a school.”