Wyoming — Seated in front of a green screen and looking into an iPad, fourth-graders Alayah Reyes Velez and Yaretzi Arguello announced the “good news” during recent filming of West Elementary’s Pack News Network.
“There is still plenty to look forward to, and to be thankful for in the upcoming weeks and months at West Elementary,” said Yaretzi, before describing scheduled events and welcoming a new staff member.
Alayah and Yaretzi are part of a rotating news crew now bringing twice-weekly broadcasts to their peers from Dean of Students Jacob Skaggs’ office.
“I’m excited to talk about important news and I feel proud for doing it,” Yaretzi said.
Produced by Skaggs, PNN is recorded on Mondays and Wednesdays with episodes airing Tuesdays and Thursdays. Teachers play the segments for their classes whenever works best for them
‘It looks like a real news program’
— third-grader Brenna Parks
“I just try to celebrate some of the positive things going on here at school,” said Skaggs, who also produced a news broadcast at an elementary school he worked at years ago in Monroe, Michigan. “Long term, I’d like to get the student into the routine of writing the scripts or at least coming up with ideas.”
Skaggs preps students to read from scripts displayed on a large monitor. Students have covered school news, such as Black History Month lessons and projects, district sports and weather.
“It was really fun to be on the school news, and after it’s done (being recorded), Mr. Skaggs does a lot of cool things with the backgrounds. It looks like a real news program,” said third-grader Brenna Parks, who delivered the news as a PNN anchor.
Students earn the privilege of being on the news crew if they are named “Leaders of the Pack,” the top point earners in the school’s den system. Leaders are named every quarter.
The broadcast is a way for students to develop public speaking skills by speaking to an audience, enunciating and being on camera, Skaggs said.
“It’s really cool for the kids to have this opportunity as an added benefit and incentive for all of the great work they do in other areas of the school,” he said.
Fourth-grader David Hughes stood straight and tall to deliver sports news during a recent recording.
“It was scary at first, but it got fun,” he said. “I feel like I’ve gotten better at it.”
Read more from Wyoming:
• Theme has students learning from the ‘Inside Out’
• She knows what support & a bit of magic can meant to families
