ARLINGTON – Students at Presidents Elementary School know what it’s like to have television news anchors stroll down the hall. It happens every day.
This year, students in Mark Putnam’s enhanced learning class have been writing, filming, editing, preparing and broadcasting videotaped news programs on the school’s Channel 3 via a cable system that connects with most of the classrooms.
Many of the teachers have their classes watch Channel 3 at 3:30 p.m. for the prerecorded programs, which are called “Panther TV News” after the school’s mascot.
“The students are kind of celebrities now,” Putnam said.
On Wednesday, Putnam’s class wrapped up the season with a special live broadcast. Students from two other classes, as well as parents and teachers, attended as a live studio audience, while other classes watched the broadcast in their classrooms.
Sixth-grade anchor Amanda Bottini started the show, introducing herself and explaining how the focus is on the news and events of the school. Then she hit on the one big difference with that day’s show.
“As you know, this program is live, so anything goes,” Bottini said.
She read the script on a makeshift TelePrompTer. A piece of poster board was taped just under the stationary video camera’s lens, and a slide projector on the table in front of her illuminated the words onto the poster board.
Behind the video camera facing Bottini, Putnam sat with headphones with the all-student technical crew, directing the show in a muted voice. Sound engineer Mackenzie Hayes followed the script, changing CDs for background for different videotaped reports in between Bottini’s live broadcasts.
Cameraman Drew Bono waited to aim camera two for the live segments. Video engineer Craig Davis and video switcher Chase Carroll made sure the right visuals got on the air.
Bottini introduced several reports prepared by the rest of the class, which includes children down to the second grade.
In the lead story, reporter Bryson Olson asked students to vote on their favorite cartoon (“Spongebob Squarepants” won). Other stories included a series of photos documenting the progress of construction of the new Presidents Elementary next door; an investigative report about who is putting gum under the chairs (with a humorous cameo by Putnam, who found a flavor he liked); and a Cougars vs. Huskies poll (UW fans won 60 percent to 40 percent).
Science teacher Andrew Medley sat off-camera holding up “Applause” and “Silence” signs to direct the audience.
Putnam started the class this year. The news program fulfills the enhanced learning program’s language arts objectives. He said students and their parents seem to love the idea.
Ed Baden, whose 8-year-old daughter, Grayson, worked on stories this year, called the program exciting. His daughter thinks so, too, he said.
“It’s the highlight of her week,” Baden said.
The live aspect made for added nerves and more practice, Putnam said.
But his sixth-grade video engineer, Davis, said he liked the pressure.
“Only having one chance at it made it a lot of fun,” Davis said.
Reporter Scott Morris: 425-339-3292 or smorris@ heraldnet.com.
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