East Rockaway High School students are trading the traditional PA system for something more cinematic this year. The school's brand-new state-of-the-art broadcast studio – complete with control room, anchor desk and green screen – has transformed morning announcements from a voice over the intercom into a daily video news show.

At the heart of this transformation is the Morning Announcements Crew, an afterschool club that's been working hard behind the scenes since September to reimagine how students start their day. Every morning in homeroom, instead of listening to announcements read aloud, students now watch a polished video news program created entirely by their peers.

Led by Principal Richard Schaffer, the crew brings together students with diverse talents and interests. Some take their place at the anchor desk to deliver the day's news, while others work as field reporters, camera operators and editors. It's a full production team operating right within the school's walls. 

I'm very proud of what the students have accomplished thus far,” said Mr. Schaffer. “The daily broadcast not only provides important information to students but also contributes to a positive start to the school day. I am honestly surprised by how many students I've heard talking about something they saw on the announcements – and how our ‘on air talent’ have become in-school celebrities. I am excited to see where we can take this in the future.

The crew's workflow mirrors that of a real newsroom. Every Thursday after school, students gather to film in-studio segments for the upcoming week, including anchor desk reporting and weather updates. But the work doesn't stop there. Throughout the week, field reporters are out capturing footage of school life – from events like homecoming to candid interviews with students and teachers.

For students who specialize in video editing, the work continues at home, where they transform raw footage into the tight, engaging packages that appear on screen each morning. 

Beyond creating compelling content, these students are gaining hands-on experience in skills that will serve them well beyond high school. They're learning the fundamentals of journalism and storytelling, developing technical expertise in filming and editing, and discovering what it takes to work as a team while meeting daily deadlines.

What started as a new approach to morning announcements has become something much more – a real-world learning space where East Rockaway students are discovering their voices, honing their craft and showing up for their school community in a whole new way.