Goodrich- Shamus, is the camera working? Are the microphones on? Alex, what’s the weather? Is everybody ready? McKenna, que the music.
Three . . . two . . . one . . .and the morning announcements are broadcast to every classroom at Oaktree Elementary, every school morning.
Under the watchful eye of phys. ed. teacher Ric Adams, and assisted by tech specialist Laurie VanSumeren, students are led thru the Pledge of Allegiance, the current day’s weather, school news, birthdays, special announcements and, new this year, sports.
‘We usually don’t do sports,? Adams says, ‘But when Mitchell (Smith) applied, I knew we would let him do it. He must watch ESPN’s Sports Center because he knows a lot about sports.?
Since Oaktree opened in 1997, Adams has trained and helped fifth grade students air the morning announcements from the Media Center.
‘Students fill out applications and just like in the real world, neatness counts on job applications, and if they’re late or don’t show up, I’ll fire them,? Adams says.
Crews are manned by fifth graders and are rotated every few weeks by classroom. Currently, students in Erin Baehr’s class are in front and behind the camera. Once a tour of duty is over, students stay on one extra day to train the next crew. This crew’s last day behind and in front of the camera was this past Thursday.
The crew consisited of:
Weather Reporter: Alex Franklin
Special Reporter: Skyler Mullins
Sports Reporter: Mitchell Smith
Announcer: Hannah Jewell
Director: Shamus Rush
Producer: McKenna Garza
Pledge of Allegiance Leaders: Kayce Christensen and Lindsay McCarty