A team of eighth grade students spend their supervisory period each day recording the following day’s broadcast with English Language Arts teacher Alex Moore. According to Moore, the initiative gives students a platform to develop valuable skills while making a meaningful contribution to their school community.

Students work in rotating crews, each consisting of anchors, videographers, and scriptwriters. Depending on their interests, some take on multiple roles.

Eighth-grader Lucy Hockenberry enjoys that freedom.

“It’s fun that we get to write our own script every day so we can send out the message to our friends in our own words,” she said.

Jefferson Middle School students have taken an active role in producing the school’s morning announcements under the guidance of ELA teacher Alex Moore.

Co-anchor Sophia Robbins echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the teamwork involved.

“We’ve learned how to communicate better with each other,” she said. “It’s a really fun experience and a great way to get involved with the school.”

Moore finds joy in watching students take ownership of the program.

“Working with students in the Morning Announcements allows students to have a creative outlet,” he said. “I get to see our students’ personalities shine through, bringing a unique flare and energy to the morning announcements. They help come up with original ideas, new fun and creative ways to involve our student body, and they learn skills that can be applied in multiple areas in modern life.

A particularly rewarding aspect of the Morning Announcements is how student-driven the program has become.

“When we first started we took it one step at a time,” Moore said. “A lot of time was spent with me directing, helping to get the gears flowing. Cut to four months later and our students have taken ownership. We have discussed schedules for filming, expectations, how to approach staff and student members for interviews, what scripts should look like, how to present and speak in front of a camera, and much, much more. It is a truly astonishing thing to have students come in prepared, excited and wanting to do their part, to write, film, and deliver their segments without needing assistance along the way. There is no feeling quite like it.”

While the program is engaging, it also requires dedication. In addition to the supervisory period, students also even stay after school to ensure everything runs smoothly.

“This takes so much hard work, especially from the students,” Moore said. “They’re essentially taking on an extra class to make sure the Morning Announcements happen every day.”

For Hockenberry, the experience has instilled a strong sense of responsibility.

“We can’t skip a day, or there won’t be any announcements,” she said. “I hope Jefferson keeps this going so that all grades can get involved.”