Every morning at R. J. Fisher Middle School, some 900 students tune to channel 14, KRJF, to hear announcements, learn important news (such as what the cafeteria is serving for lunch), and be entertained by features like the Riddle of the Day. The daily broadcast is produced in a studio off the library by the two dozen 7th and 8th grade students in Mrs. Williamson's Video Production class.
About 50 parents and well-wishers gathered for an open house on Jan. 12. Mayor Barbara Spector, Vice Mayor Mike Wasserman, Los Gatos Union School District Superintendent Suzanne Boxer-Gassman, two members of the school board, Tina Orsi-Hartigan and Chris Miller, KCAT manager and KLIV radio news director George Sampson, KCAT board president Sandy Decker, and KCAT engineer Jim Dethlefson were on hand to see what the kids could do.
The presentation included a pre-recorded behind-the-scenes montage.
"You have freedom in what you do, but you have to be responsible, too," a voiceover by one of the students explains. "[Video production] helps me express myself. Whatever I think I can do, I can do."
The co-anchors for the broadcast, written by Ellen Czinski, were Will Butler and Kiara Stickney. Daniel Van Gundy was the studio director, and Jeffrey VonKaenel directed control room operations. Julia Shuman, Lindsay Barnett, and Brandi Roenick operated the cameras, with Giv Daboll in charge of teleprompters. In the "booth," Thomas Chu manned Computer 2, Liam McNulty and Cassidy Resnick operated video mixers, Bradley Leha handled titles, Robert Berry and Kian Filippi managed audio, and Austin Beebee did effects. Sam Compton is the production room supervisor, the TA is Bryan Rose, and Wiley Wilder and Austin Beebee serve as technical liaisons.
In addition to the live newscast, the broadcast included student films. One, based on YouTube video clips, featured talented (and crazy) dogs, cats, and birds. Another, more serious, student film focused on helping the people of the Darfur region of the Sudan using satellite imagery from Google Earth.
The 7th and 8th grade class segues into Los Gatos High School and KCAT-15, the community access television station on school grounds.
"By the time they get to you," Vice Mayor Wasserman said to KCAT station manager George Sampson after the broadcast, "they've got the interest, they've got the experience."
Sampson agreed. "I hope that when these kids get to the high school, there will be a video production class for them," he said. "Right now, there isn't." He points out that a class like this teaches more than video technology. "Teamwork, project management, writing, public speaking. It all kind of dovetails." Sampson said he is talking with Williamson about broadcasting her students' films to the community. "That's what public access is all about--giving the average person, including students, the ability to communicate."
"Amazing. Just amazing," Mayor Barbara Spector said, echoing the thoughts of many of the older generation watching children use video mixers to chromakey images and crossfade audio channels.
"This is the nexus between middle school multimedia and digital literacy," said KCAT board president Sandy Decker. "They deserve the best equipment we can offer them. It's up to us to be ready to meet their expectations."
"It's great to see what the kids can do," said Superintendent Boxer-Gassman. But when one talks about cutting budgets, or failing to renew the parcel tax, she cautioned, "These are the kinds of things that could go away."
Dr. Boxer-Gassman said that the video studio was conceived several years ago, when the school was remodeled, and principal Lisa Fraser explained that the vision had to wait for technology mentor Dianna Williamson to arrive.
"Two years ago, that room was empty, waiting for the right person to come along and make it come alive," Principal Fraser said. "Dianna Williamson deserves great kudos."
In addition to helping teachers across the district master instructional technology, Williamson championed the conversion of a spare room off the new Fisher library into a video studio with a glass-enclosed control room and a "green screen" on one wall.
For a while, Principal Fraser would wince when she saw Williamson coming--she was most likely asking for more funds. Williamson credits the district's Facilities department and, of course, its Technology crew, along with the Fisher Home & School Club and Thresher Communications. Fraser thanked the foundation and site funds, as well, along with all the hard work of the students and their parents. "Thank you for your vision and support," Fraser said.
Williamson also thanked Karen Duvall, school district Arts Coordinator Joanne Talesfore, and Pola Shornik, an Apple Computer business development specialist, for their help. Joanne's daughter, Fisher alumna Jennifer Anne Talesfore, now a graphic designer in Los Angeles, designed the studio's logo, which was acknowledged in a three-fold brochure that the school produced.
The class first went live on Oct. 31 of last year and now they broadcast to every classroom every morning, according to Asst. Principal Jim Latorre. The hookup means that every class now has cable television access, as well.
As the students learn to communicate with video, Arts Commissioner Talesfore hopes that some will participate in the annual film competition event that she chairs. "It works right into CineCats, doesn't it?" Talesfore asks. "Not every child enjoys writing, but they enjoy expressing themselves, and this is another tool for doing that."
Related Sites
Post to del.icio.us
Post to Reddit
