Family

If you look up the definition of "family" on the internet or in a dictionary, you will get numerous definitions. It's because there is not one single way to describe what a family is or what family means to each of us. Families are formed in many, many different ways. I am learning that through my journey in adoption.....and have learned that from you, my students.

Family, to me, could be biological, but it can also be a collection of people, who spend time under the same roof for a regular period of time, who experience happiness, joy, pain, rejection, depression, laughter, feelings, tears, successes and failures...together. People who support and love one another, even though our differences are as great as our similarities.

DeAndre came to me yesterday and asked if he could read out loud his poem that he wrote about the class, to the class. In all the finals, cleaning, picture-taking, etc. I forgot. I deeply regret that because what he had to say to me, you, and all of us needs to be heard. If you ever believe that you don't make impressions on people in your life, think again.

Below is the poem he wrote for all of us. Enjoy. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and if you're moving on, please keep in touch with me, your friends, your family.

Love to all,

Mrs. Watson

BVP-CCP
Lights… Camera… Action… for all the world’s a stage and we… we are its mere actors… but what use is a stage… the lights… the camera… or any action… without friends…no… dare I say... I do dare… without family

I’m gonna miss it… for you see this semester… will be my last… So I have no choice… but to miss… miss it all… from the bro’s that have my back… to the sisters I could never replace… from Cody’s unique joy to bring happiness on a cloudy day… or Pricilla’s strict attitude to keep us all in line… but still it’s with love… or Malike’s Swagnificent Hustler’s attitude… or Tyrell’s cinematic happy go lucky attitude… to the little argument’s we all have had… I will miss it all dearly… but even still… hands at each other’s throat’s… and even through the blood sweat and tears… we made it… to see each other one last time in this room…

But what I will truly miss… more than anything… more than my experience…. Is my 2nd mother… Ms Watson… Watson… You actually did it… you actually sparked the creativity in me… and awoke the outgoing young man who lied dormant in my soul… you kept me going when I thought there was nothing left… even on your worst days you were the shelter to me in my great storm of depression… You showed me I’m not as worthless as I was told to be… or as worthless as I thought I was… You made me a better person…and turned me into a better man… a man that I can be proud of…and doing all this and watching over me with great love… and for that I thank you.

So you see I couldn’t let you all leave… I couldn’t let you go… not without saying this… you all to have helped me grow… grow for the better… and not for the worst… I can never repay you all… or really let you all know how much you all mean to me… I could spend an eternity writing s novel and still… it would be inadequate… but I digress… I will sincerely miss you all… and I hope you all won’t forget skateboarder kid… grim… Dre… or sprite man… because these are the names I will always remember and cherish as well… so stay in touch… for I could not have prayed for a better family… because I Closely Cherish Peoples (CCP)

Love Grim (Deandre)

Your choice.....

Hi all,

As we wind down the semester, let's reflect on how much about the business of video production you've learned this semester.

I think that some of you understand the importance of lighting a little more than you did before. Most of the time when I help you light your interviews, you are somewhat impressed and surprised how much it improves your video. Lighting is key! Learning how to use it for special effects will be your next trick.

The importance of writing your script BEFORE you edit can't be understated. It helps to put your thoughts in perspective, it helps draw a picture in your mind of how your story will develop and it gives you an opportunity to get creative with your words.

The credibility that an outside source adds to your story is important. You haven't done very well with this aspect of this class and we need to work more on that skill.

Related to that, I think that we need to develop your skills for pre-interviewing. Figuring out who is the right person to add credibility to your packages is vital. Many times you guys give up before you even figure out who your expert is and that contributes to you losing steam.

I think that your writing has improved. Although there is plenty more to work on, I think you understand the nuances of writing to the pictures, creating a story that moves people along and creating interest through words and pictures.

You have been able to choose your own stories. That doesn't happen in a TV station. Stories are assigned. Very rarely, unless you can propose an amazing story, does a reporter, photographer or anchor get to choose their stories. This is where we differ. Next semester will probably be different. We'll see.

For now, talk about what you've gotten out of this semester of Eagle TV and what you would've liked to have done differently. What would you like ME to have done differently? How can we improve upon the daily class? I want to hear your opinion.

I want you to also know how much all of you mean to me. Advanced class gets me up every morning. You guys are my family, my kids and I love each and every one of you. Have a nice holiday break! :-)

Just tell me one thing....

Coming up with story ideas is easy; it's telling them that's hard.

After all the research and interviews are done with your news story, coming up with the script that will put all that information together in a cohesive tale that flows is difficult. But it's even harder to come up with an interesting story.

Here's how you know if your story is interesting or not...are you telling your viewers something they didn't already know? That's the key. Don't tell me the same old story with a teenage point of view...tell me a new story with interesting facts that I didn't already know, with a teenage point of view. Tell me through the eyes of someone who has experienced it, or give me a perspective I didn't experience before. Do something different!! Make it interesting, visual, engaging. Just tell me one thing I didn't already know. One thing.

Use all the storytelling tools I've taught you for this last story. Surprise, parallel parking, nat sound breaks, silence within the story, etc.

I'm going to ask you to propose your story to me. You will need to complete your story, a separate VO/SOT, a presentation on your best story and quite possibly a documentary. Three weeks is all we have. Get going.

For your response to this blog, I'm going to ask you to tell me what motivates you and what you want to get out of this class this semester. What are you going to improve upon or what do you want to know more about? Be your own advocate for your learning.

With three weeks left in the semester, I'm going to ask you to work harder than you've worked so far this semester. We have a lot to do.

In the meantime, check out this story by Steve Hartman about Unlikely Friends. Some of you have already seen it, but it illustrates what makes a story interesting. Watch it again.

Are you a Real Journalist?

I've always treated each one of you as a journalist. In my mind, there is very little difference in what you do and what employees of a news organization do except that you get a grade... and they get a paycheck.

I'd like to see more from you, but I've seen some really good stories. I've seen a lot of you take chances, ask tough questions, and get phenomenal video and write moving stories. I want more. I want you to not give up when it gets a little difficult; when someone doesn't call you back right away or when you don't get the answers you want. What ever happened to the corn maze story, for example? Did we give up because someone couldn't make it? Do it without them!

You stand a better chance of getting a job in the journalism industry if you show that you don't back down. You show that now, while you are in high school. You're building your resume as we speak. In fact, in college, you're expected to do daring interviews if you major in journalism...in high school, it's a surprise if you do. And, very impressive, I might add. Show what you got. You ARE real journalists...act like it!

See the short excerpt below from Advancing the Story Blog and let me know what you think about how you can be more driven. Take advantage of the unique opportunity you have right now. Don't let life's moments pass you by; you'll regret it later. Trust me.

Are J-school students really journalists?

Posted on November 10th, 2009 by Deborah Potter

If a journalism school offers real world experience, should the students who participate be protected by reporters’ privilege? That’s a key question in a case involving a professor and students at Northwestern’s Medill J-school.

David Protess runs the school’s “Innocence Project” in which students investigate old crimes looking for wrongful convictions. In the past decade, the school says, “[they] have uncovered evidence that freed 11 innocent men, five of them from death row.”

Protess and his students believe they’ve found another wrongful conviction and Northwestern’s legal clinic has filed a petition for a new trial. But local prosecutors are suggesting that the students may have been under pressure to prove the case in order to get a good grade in the class. As the Associated Press reports, the prosecutors have subpoenaed the students’ grades, private emails, notes, unpublished memos and expense claims. That kind of information would typically be protected by the state shield law but the prosecutors claim the students aren’t journalists, so they’re not covered.

The case raises concerns for all students who do “real world” journalism as part of their course work. And it underlines the need to bring shield laws up to date in today’s multimedia world when anyone can be a journalist. The latest draft of a federal shield law does just that, by covering anyone who does journalism, even if they don’t get paid for it.

Breaking Legs!

"Break a Leg!" It's the phrase people say to wish performers good luck. It's what we did on Friday with our first Eagle TV show, Friday Live!

After three weeks of practice on increasingly harder and more challenging shows and broadcast elements, the Eagle TV crew really pulled it out on Friday with one of the best shows I think I've seen in a long time! I'm so proud of my students.

It could've been different. It's live. The potential for a million things to go wrong are there. We experienced that, rehearsed that already. During rehearsal we had to start over many times when the video switcher froze up or the TelePrompTer wasn't keeping up or when the wrong camera was punched or when audio screwed up or when the cameras made jerky moves, etc. We rehearsed the mistakes and flubs and technical problems. We were prepared.

We also had a live audience with Mrs. Ausenbaugh's class. They came in right at the beginning of the announcements and scurried across the set floor to take their places at the corner of the studio. They couldv'e been loud, they weren't. There could've been problems... there wasn't.

Right before the show began, the last VCR in our system (the one that's downstream to all other equipment and the last component that our signal hits before going out to the school) kept turning off. It has to stay on in order for our signal to go out to the school. This was significant. We determined quickly that it was a tape stuck in the machine. As I sent Candice running to my office to get a pair of tweezers, Mr. Hosey's announcements began. Quickly with the tweezers, I got the tape out, turned on the VCR and still, it turned off. Mr. Hosey began to introduce us, I opened up the tape door and pulled out a tape label, turned the VCR on and then we rolled the open. Whew! Just in the nick of time! Everyone stayed relatively calm, which is the key to doing live television. We went on with the show and broadcast an incredibly professional product.

I'm incredibly proud of my Eagle TV staff. I have one of the most hard working group of students who care deeply about our show and what they have to offer. I have students who want to learn more and more and who are excited to learn more techniques. I have a group of students who are invested in what they are doing and are always wanting to improve on their last project.

Evidently, at the end of the show, I jumped up in excitement and re-injured my broken ankle a little. I don't think that the phrase is "re-break" a leg, but I see an irony here. The injury wasn't severe, just a little irritation, but I had to put my boot back on. I hope all shows are like this....I won't be jumping up and down for a while, but the excitement in the room was palpable after the show. Nice job, Eagle TV crew! You make me proud.

Comment on the show for your blog. What was your experience during the show or during the weeks rehearsal leading up to the show? What could we do better? What did we do well? What did you feel during the show? Did you feel like we were doing well? How can we keep this energy and professionalism going? We have a lot more shows to do!

Gathering news

Sorry you've had to wait so long for the weekly blog. We've been really busy getting ready to go on the air with Eagle TV! We debut on Friday the 23rd and have a few tricks up our sleeve for the show.

That being said, we will resume gathering news stories next week. Eagle TV students seem to be pretty adept at telling a story and editing a story, but getting the story seems to elude them. Knowing how to GATHER news stories will get you the best material to work with when you're in the edit room and when you want a really strong package to show your audience.

Let's start at the beginning: Research. You have to do research in order to know WHO to ask questions about your story. Let's say you're doing a story on teen sleep disorders. You need to first call someone....oh, I don't know.....maybe a doctor who specializes in sleep disorders. So, you call a doctor at a sleep disorder clinic. The person you get on the phone happens to specialize in geriatric sleep disorders, not teenage problems. What do you do? Ask that person to refer you to someone they feel is more appropriate to answer the questions you have. After all, they know a lot of people in that business.

While you're on the phone with these people, you happen to ask them to send you an information packet or press kit about sleep disorders and if there is any interesting recent studies on teenagers and sleep. Voila! It just so happens that a doctor who works in their office released a study last week that says that teenagers who get less than 6 hours of sleep do better on standardized tests! (Ridiculous, I know....I made this up for the sake of the blog). There is your "hook" and the angle of your story! You also need to set up an appointment with this particular doctor who released this study.

Let's also talk about camera work. Please, please, please, please hold your shots....steady....for at least 10 seconds. Please don't shoot your video as if you are frantically scanning the crowd for a movie star! If you are all over the place with your video, I worry that you're having a seizure. Also, panning is evil. It's called "firehosing" because it looks like your holding a water hose instead of a camera and trying to put out a fire. The ONLY time it's okay to pan is when your subject refers to something offscreen and/or points then we'll need to see what he/she is talking about, but do it slowly! Try this experiment: focus on something to your left. It could be a spot on the wall, a pattern in your bedspread or a lampshade. Then, find something on your right to affix your gaze to. Then, go back to the item on the left, then to the right, back to the left, then again to the right, then back to the left. Were your eyes panning? Or, were they just "cutting" from one object to the other? If you said, "panning", I suggest you get an eye exam.

Frame your shots properly. Watch for backlighting and weird background clutter. Pull people AWAY from the cinder block walls we have at our school. Don't cut off their heads or, conversely, their bodies. Do some close ups! Frame sequences: wide, medium, tight. Look at that viewfinder....don't just point the camera in the area of your subject. Put some thought into the parts that make up your entire picture.

Interview people while you're at all events. You have an entire football stadium full of people who would love it if you asked them a few questions about the homecoming game or the track meet. Why not get a few good soundbites while you're there? You don't have to use them, but what if your package could use some perspective? Get those interviews. Every time!!

While we're talking about interviewing......let's talk audio. Wear your headphones. Every time you take out a camera. Listen to that audio. Is it clear? Is it combined with other distracting audio? Is the air conditioner on or the hand dryer in the bathroom blowing? Move that mic closer to their mouth so we can hear them! Don't be afraid to get close to them. I promise they won't bite. They are probably more likely to step back away from you!

Ask the right questions. What is your angle and ask questions pertaining to that angle. What do you want your story to sound, feel, look like? Keep that in mind while you're formulating your questions. Ask a lot of questions. Ask them to add anything else that they'd like to add.

Respond to this blog by talking about what you do well out in the field and what you could use some work on. What will you work on? What other things can you think of that we need to work on?

Can't wait to see what you guys turn in next!

Objectivity in the middle of chaos

I've always told you guys to be fair, accurate and true when reporting your stories. Fair in that you show both sides of the story, accurate in that you never report false information and attribute everything you say and true in that you stay true to the nature of the story and the angle that you chose to report. Good journalists are objective in their reporting. You are never part of the story.... but what if the story happens to you?

That was the case last week when Austell residents and other areas in metro Atlanta saw unprecedented flooding. According to news reports, an estimated 500 homes in Austell alone were destroyed. Many Eagle TV students and their peers at South Cobb lost everything. Undeniably, this will be the talk around school for a while and given that Eagle TV students latch on to the latest buzz as the subject of their next story, I'm sure I'll get many story ideas in next week dealing with the flooding. There will be many angles to the story. But you have to step back from the story in order to do it justice.

That's hard. Everyone has an opinion about things that they experience because we live the experience. We're not just being told a story by someone we're interviewing. We were there. We saw it, we smelled it, we heard it and we felt it.

So what are the angles to this story? There are many. Maybe an angle could be a subject that is unknown to you. Perhaps the story of someone who moved here from New Orleans to start over after Katrina who is now looking to start over again. (No, Chris, you can't do this story) Or maybe the story of the kids of Clarkdale...unless, of course, you have a little sister or brother at Clarkdale. Or maybe the slew of perfect strangers who have donated time to help clean up or items for those in shelters or maybe a story on how much money the Red Cross is spending daily to take care of those in need.

Tell me the angles that you would report on. Tell me how your experience may or may not allow you to be objective. Tell me about your experiences and then ask someone else to do the story. In the meantime, check out this documentary of a female CNN photographer who became part of the story she was reporting on. It's in two parts, very heavy, but extremely well-done. This woman has a lot to tell us about strength, courage, living life to the fullest and not dwelling on the bad. She also tells us a lot about how to objectively report the story, even when you're part of it. There is a big surprise at the end of Part 2.

Part 1 of the CNN documentary, Fearless: The Margaret Moth Story (TRT 14:00)

Part 2 can be accessed after you've watched part 1. Below the video box will be another video you can click on and it is titled, "Camerawoman Fights Back". (TRT 10:00)

It's Showtime!

Okay folks....we're getting close. Close to our 2009-2010 broadcast debut of Eagle TV! I hope it is better than ever. My hope is that we are one the air Mondays and Fridays beginning in October (maybe Oct. 2nd?) and once a month on Wednesdays starting at the end of October.

We have a unique opportunity with the way homeroom is this year to feature Eagle TV in a longer-format show once a month on Wednesdays. This opens doors for us and I want us to take it seriously. That means showing up for class, on time and ready to go on the air....that means 8am, or as close as you can get to that time.

It also means we need to make our news packages better all the time. Try to outdo your last one. Get better and better. Keep learning and keep improving. As I know that you want to make your news packages better and better, we need to really concentrate on two things...the big picture and the little details. Let me explain.

The little details of each story you do require you to be aware of good audio (or bad audio) for EACH soundbite and piece of nat sound. Every shot must be perfectly framed and you must be aware of how light hits your subjects and how to adjust it if it isn't right. You must be able to pick out soundbites that advance your story and write a script that is compelling and will move people...to tears or laughter or both. You must make every edit be seamless or have your edits make a statement.

The big picture is what do we want our news show to be? What do we want to convey? What kind of "style" do we want? Casual? Formal? What elements do we want to feature? SAT word of the day? Or, the best places to eat around Austell? Quizzes, information, fun stuff or all of the above. Do we want to interview news makers on the air, or do we want to comment on our pieces after we come out of them? We have to have a consistent style and we have to be interesting and informative but not too flippant and silly.

As I always tell you to do, check out the following Steve Hartman (CBS News Reporter) stories for format and AMAZING writing. Many of them are You Tube videos so you'll have to check them out at home. I hope you check out all of them. It will take you about 20 minutes and I think your writing will benefit.

In the meantime, tell me what you want our show to be like. What do you want it to do? Inform? Entertain? Do we want standups? Do we want to feature our own students in a montage at the end of the show? Do we want to talk about news, features, sports or all of the above? Do we want to stand at the set or sit? Do we want a green screen and what will it be used for? Do we want to preproduce it or do it live? Talk about our new show and look at the examples of good work below. And....let's get going!

ASSIGNMENT AMERICA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-anXzjA1poo

shoe shine guy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBtFTF2ii7U

Unlikely animal couple

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVHFyUa3QaU

on the road good Sam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzcXqhYB6PQ

pen pals

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAgrjuAYnWc

Will and his Hill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V38QRUMMVU&feature=channel

America's oldest worker

EVERYBODY HAS A STORY

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=608578n&tag=contentMain;contentBody

Geraldine Spring

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=620847n&tag=contentMain;contentBody

Suzanne Lee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzcXqhYB6PQ

Sounds Abound!

Hey! Do you hear that? It's Natural Sound or Nat Sound. It's the element in a news story that is pivotal in telling your story.

Nat Sound can add credibility to your story and also a great deal of spark. It adds a sense of place to your stories and puts your viewers in the middle of the action. Sometimes it even tells the story for you!

Watch this story below produced by the National Press Photographers Association 1st place winner for photography. There are numerous nat sound breaks throughout the package. Listen for them.

http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=158888

It is really important that you close your eyes and listen when you go out and shoot. Not only do you want to listen for sounds that you DON'T want in your packages, such as the a/c unit or buzzing from a fluorescent light fixture, but you want to listen for possibilities for natural sound in your stories. Let sound help tell the story. Shoot for sound.

Below is an interview with the news photog about collecting nat sound for his news stories.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EB2c-BF-nw

I found a new website resource called Newslab. Click on it to brush up on tricks for your videos and check out their featured blog....it's about shooting for sound!

What possibilities does your next story have for natural sound? List them. Tell me what your story is about and what nat sound you plan to shoot. Think in terms of audio and start your story with sound and no VO. Use your ears and shoot with your sense of hearing. Sounds abound all around!

Story Ideas Assignment

Story ideas. Where do we get them? How do we convince others that we have a good story worth doing? How do we keep our audience interested in the story we are telling?

It all starts with a good story idea that is well-written, has a distinct angle, good characters, relevant to our audience, compelling visuals, well-researched and newsworthy.

The reason we turn in story ideas every other week is because I want you to begin to think in terms of a reporter, producer or photographer about what makes a story worthy of your time and research. I also want you to become better writers and researchers as well as being a good journalist. You have to be able to incorporate numerous pieces of data yet filter out the irrelevant information to focus your stories. That's hard. So, let me tell you what I'll look for when I grade story ideas.

Start out by looking around for something that's interesting to you. Look at local news in papers, newscasts, magazines and radio. Look at bulletin boards, newsletters or subjects that you and your peers are talking about. As your parents what's going on or look on the internet news websites.

If it is a national story, you must localize it, or determine an angle that's relevant to your audience. Your audience would be teenagers in the metro Atlanta area as well as adults (parents and educators) who might see your story on Eagle TV or on Cobb EdTV.

Do research. Do you have information that supports your angle? Are there enough visual possibilities to make it TV-friendly? Are there local experts that are available for you to interview about it? And most importantly, can you tell the story through the eyes, or experience, of someone who has been there?

Once you've done these first few steps, you are ready to write your proposal. The elements that need to be in your proposal are: a statement of what story type it is, a summary, how will you tell the story, who are your potential characters, elements to include in the story and any background information or statistics.

Here's my idea....I recently saw on the TV news the results of a recent study that says that teenagers are physically incapable of waking up early because of their body clocks and a later start time for schools is being pushed in some states. So I did some internet research:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/teens-health/CC00019

The Story Idea Summary part of your proposal begins, "this is a story about..." and explains what makes the story relevant or newsworthy? Why would your audience want to see it? This is your "elevator pitch".

This is a story about a new study that says teenagers are biologically incapable of being alert during the early start times of middle and high school. Some people believe that later start times would decrease absenteeism and increase grades.

Telling the Story. Describe how you'll open the story, what you'll go to next and how you will end it. Tell us who we will be meeting and why they are important.

I will open the story by talking about the role sleep plays in our life then spotlighting a student who has had incredible difficulty with staying awake for his early classes over the last few semesters (not just one semester to rule out a problem subject matter) perhaps even find someone who has had sleep studies done. I will then go into the study and other statistics about sleep patterns and teenagers. I will then revisit the student at the end of the story with his solution to sleep deprivation.

Potential Characters. List the characters in their order of importance to your story. Who are the people you want to interview or what kind of people do you want to interview? What role do they play in your story?

I will interview, of course, a student or students who have trouble staying awake in the mornings, parents of those students who can talk about their son or daughter's sleep habits (and maybe frustrations with teacher calls!) and sleep experts from a local sleep study center. I may also talk to a teacher or two. I know a student named Jason who has had a very difficult time in his first block classes over the last few years. Perhaps he would be willing to talk about his experiences.

Elements. This is for you to describe any visuals or pictures that will be part of your story. Very important! How do you plan to cover your story outside of interveiws? There must be pictures or video! Warning...you don't want to "stage" your video!

I will get video (and permission to use it) from a sleep study center and possibly use some of the video of people sleeping, I'll get alarm clock videos, unmade beds, students attentive in class and some with their heads on their desks. Footage of class changes and teachers teaching in class, maybe students drinking coffee or caffeinated soda to stay awake.

Additional Background. This is for statistics and background information that supports why your story is newsworthy. this is NOT copied and pasted research. It is information that indicates that you've done your research and drawn your own conclusions about how it relates to your story and angle. It shows that you understand and care about your story and how it can be relevant to your audience. It could also be background information on your characters who are in your story. It is information that you may use in your story, but not necessarily. his shows me that you've at least done some preliminary research and that you have evidence to support that this is a valuable story and not just piles of data.

According to the Mayo clinic website, our internal clock guides when we feel sleepy or awake. They are called our circadian rhythms. As a young person, our circadian rhythms signal us to get sleepy around 8 or 9pm. As we approach our teenage years, that internal clock doesn't make us tired until about 11pm or midnight. Because studies reveals that teens need at least 9 hours of sleep to feel alert during the daytime, early morning start times for school make that difficult. Countries as far away as Isreal are looking at this data and are beginning to take note by changing school start times in hopes that teens will succeed more in school. The Sleep for Science research highlights why teens are challenged by an early school start.

Lastly, make sure that you attach any supporting materials to your story idea. Print out websites or cut out articles of your sources. Remember that if you quote statistics in your story, you must attribute them to the proper source.

Your deadline is Wednesday, get writing!

Challenges

In the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to view life from a different seat than I'm used to. A broken ankle severely limits your mobility, but it does so much more.

The simplest things have become a challenge, such as getting through a door or narrow places. Cooking is impossible (try standing on one foot for 15 minutes) and driving my manual transmission car is forbidden.

I'm thankful that my disability is temporary, but it has raised my awareness to those who have struggles that last a lifetime. We all have things to overcome in our lives; some are temporary and some are permanent. Hopefully through those hard times, we learn lessons or change our perspective and have a greater appreciation for others who have to overcome obstacles in life.

One of the things that Senator Edward Kennedy will be remembered for is his advocacy for those who don't have a voice. Those who are starving, poor, in need of medical help, the homeless, children and the civil rights movement. He put a focused light on these things so everyone else can see them.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112268401&sc=gaw&gclid=CN_kgZfOy5wCFURR2godFDT4Iw

One of the wonderful aspects of being a journalist is that we can show others a perspective that others may not see. We can shine a light on a problem or a concern and teach others that sometimes we DO have influence and compassion for those who obstacles to overcome.

I want you to start thinking about doing a story on someone who has overcome obstacles or someone who has shown great strength in dealing with challenges in life. Someone who is strong in their conviction that despite the fact that they may not have what others have or have to work harder than others that they are an incredible inspiration to us all. Do you know someone like that? Can you think of a story like that?

I'm not talking about someone who has just broken an ankle and has to be in a boot for 8 weeks. I'm talking about things that really bring out the strength in themselves and others. The Crazy Story is a good example. Consider this story of an autistic young man who became his high school's basketball hero.

Comment on this blog what story you have in mind. Surely you know someone who has had to overcome a challenge in life with a strength in them that would make most of us buckle. I'd like to see what kind of journalist you are. Go out there and find a great story and then tell others. Change people's perspective.

Welcome to a new school year!

Welcome To Eagle TV!

Eagle TV is the award-winning broadcasting program here at South Cobb High School and we're really excited to start a new year full of new adventures and REACHING FOR THE STARS!

I hope that you stay tuned to the blog and check out what projects we're working on and news from our studio.

Students in this program learn how to write, interview, shoot video, edit, produce and broadcast all genres of programs, primarily news. Teamwork is essential as well as a strong work ethic. Deadlines are non-negotiable, so students must keep themselves on track and keep producing amazing work. Because of our dedication to our program and our pursuit of excellence, we have garnered three National Student Award of Excellence Awards and two Honorable Mentions from the Southeastern National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (the same people who award the Emmy awards) and three Student Television Network Awards.

We produce numerous community projects through the year in addition to our regular curriculum and students have opportunities to work in the field with professionals every once in a while.

For the past 5 years, a select group of Eagle TV students have attended the national Student Television Network Convention in early spring where they network with news professionals, their peers, take part in rigorous competitions and participate in numerous break out sessions.

The students' experiences build on each other year after year and there is certainly a sense of purpose, ownership and pride in being part of Eagle TV. Let's make this the best year yet!

To my kids....

Teaching is typically thought of as a one-way endeavor.  It's usually a teacher's job to influence students.  We are given the task of molding minds and shaping young people in an effort to ready them for "the real world", whatever that means.  We teach students how to think logically in math and evaluate story lines in literature and how to find Europe on a map in Geography and how to use the scientific method.  We teach foreign language, sportmanship, how to write an essay and how to play an instrument or put together a newscast.  Very rarely is much attention placed on how much students teach their teachers.   So let me turn the tables on you a little and tell you what YOU have done for me.

You teach me how to juggle.  Having 28 students in one class, all doing different projects, all needing my help or attention and most yelling my name asking for keys, or to check out equipment or to tell me that the edit system has a problem, while others need hugs or discipline or to be chased after is tiring and challenging.  Somehow, I manage to keep all the plates spinning in the air, most of the time without dropping one.  Oh, I'll miss someone's request for my attention here and there, but I almost always get to you.  

You teach me patience.  Watching you SLOWLY learn a new skill is more rewarding than frustrating.  I love seeing you get it and get excited about learning something new, even though it takes you 4 days to learn it!  Before I became a teacher, I had little patience for those who took too long to complete a task.  Usually, I'd end up doing it myself.  I've learned from you that if I wait long enough, you'll get it and to step in and do it myself is a disservice to you.

You teach me that I'm needed and loved.  There are days when I come to work not feeling very good about myself or feeling blue and you always are there for me.  Whether it's because you need me to extract a broken tape out of the VCR or because you notice that I'm a little off and you offer a hug, I feel needed and loved. And, also that Jocelyn (Not Kayla!) wrote in the blog that I was needed more.  There is also the flip side of this and that's when you want me to go away and not be in the control room during a show, or not in the hotel hot tub when you're playing truth or dare at the Student Television Network Convention in Orlando!  

You teach me to ask for what I want.  Because your social "filters" are not always well developed, when you want something you ask for it, no matter how ridiculous or out of touch it might be.  That's refreshing.....and the answer is still "no".

You teach me that friendship knows no bounds or limitations.  When I stand before you every day, I look at a sea of faces that represent a mix of differences.  I see black, white, hispanic, small, medium, large, loud, soft, happy, sad, female, male, talkative, quiet, bossy, submissive, social, lazy, active, and more...all learning, sharing, laughing and enjoying each other's company, in and out of my classroom. I hope that you all keep in touch with each other for years down the road.  

You've taught me that relationships are more important than paperwork or meetings.  I can't tell you how many days I've spent in my office trying to get through piles of work when someone asks me to come look at their video that they are proud of and before long, I realize that there are a bunch of us in the edit room talking and laughing and sharing with each other and I've forgotten about that pile of work.  Of course, the work still needs to get done, but spending quality time with you is more valuable to me in the long run.  I'll remember how I felt when I am around you guys long after I've forgotten what that paperwork was all about.

You've taught me that it's safe to sit back and relax and trust.  On those days when I'm not there, I stress.  Will the show go on?  Will you behave?  Will there be a problem while I'm not there?  Nearly every time, I am delighted that you've taken it upon yourselves, to be adult enough to conduct class and the editorial meeting or do a show when no adult is even in the room.  Some of you have even helped the subs from other teachers in my dept.  I've trained you to be self-sufficient and that is a very valuable life skill.

You've taught me that even though I've never had my own child that it doesn't make me any less of a mom.  I can't tell you how much I enjoyed getting mother's day gifts and text messages all day on Mother's Day saying that even though I didn't give birth to all of you that you think of me as a mom.  What an awesome compliment!  I think of all of you as my children.  I love you just as much as if you were my own.

You've taught me that the expression of love takes many forms.  From hugs that you've given me to notes that you've written to me, to things that you've said to encourage me, to Teacher of the Year videos, to all the wonderful things that other teachers tell me that you say about me and each other makes my heart swell with pride and makes me feel like one special individual.

This is always a tough time of year for me (and no, not just because of the senior video!) because I have to let go of my seniors and the class culture we've built over the year has to give way to a new group of students and a new class culture next year.  This year seems especially difficult for me to let go of.  The seniors that are graduating are students that I've become especially fond of and have close relationships with each and every one of you.  I will never forget your support of me as Teacher of the Year, the ice skating, the band trip, the Kangaroo conservation center, the daily grind of getting your stories done, the hoodies, the music videos (Beyonce') ALL the laughter, your phone calls to make sure I was okay when I had pneumonia and the headaches that sent me to the hospital, the STN trip, the stanky leg, the many, many, many memories that we create with each other throughout the year.  You all are my rock and my hard place!

I have the best job ever!  I never had wanted to be a teacher and even after it fell into my lap, I still wasn't sure.  I'm pretty sure now that I'm right where I need to be and feel like it is alternately the most frustrating and difficult, yet rewarding and exciting job anyone could ever have.  I'm very lucky to have such a great group of students to share my life with; and I hope it's a very long life with lots of sharing.  I love you all with all my heart.  Thank you for being in my life.

Tell me your final thought about this class, your classmates, Eagle TV and give us some closing thoughts.  Then, have a GREAT SUMMER!

Waving "see ya"

By now, most of you seniors have gotten every lesson you're going to get out of me. And I hope you've learned something. Even if it's that Watson hates it when you miss deadline then I know you've been listening to me.

I wanted to share with you one last resource because it's not like me to waste ANY time that I have left with you. :-)

http://liveapartmentfire.com/2008/09/23/addition-by-subtraction/

This is an amazing website/blog. It is authored by someone who used to work in television and there are some very good points. Points that I hope you've heard in one form or another from me. I hope that those of you who go into journalism in one form or fashion bookmark this page and refer to it often. You never stop learning, you know.

Always try to make yourself better, whether it's journalism or plumbing or fashion design. If you stop learning and improving, you stagnate. Have you ever smelled stagnant water? Yuck!

And you know that I'll always be there for you if you need me, but please call first! I've always lived my life with a huge IN Box. Type A. I can't relax, but I'm learning how, slowly, but the odds that you'll catch me on a day when I have nothing to do but catch up with you is rare.

This is a really hard time of the year for me. I get incredibly sad because I have to wave "see ya" to a lot of students that I've grown incredibly fond of. I always hope that I get to see you again and keep in touch, but sometimes that doesn't happen. Sometimes I get visits for a few years and then those visits slowly taper off and I become a mere blip on the radar of your life.

That's okay, I guess. The whole idea of what I do for a living is to get you outta here. But being the sensitive, sentimental type, I forge these relationships with everyone of you in a very unique special way that I will always hold in my heart and it is bittersweet to see you go. I promise that I won't forget how we had fun in Eagle TV. I may forget our specific conversations, but I won't forget our relationship.

Let me know in your comments what you learned from me this year and what you would've liked to have learned more of but didn't. Tell me if I gave you what you needed as a BVP student or even as a person. What did I give you that was valuable. Promise that you will keep learning, over the summer and over the years and for those of you who are coming back next year, what do you need me to teach you next year?

So, do me proud, keep in touch and remember that to all of you, it's not goodbye....I'll just wave "see ya".

Book Covers....

I'm sure most of you have seen this link by now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Most of you probably don't think much of it, but it holds a lot of meaning for us here in Eagle TV.  Let me explain.

First of all, and most obviously, you should never judge a book by its cover!  Susan Boyle had everyone in the audience, the judges panel and everyone sitting at home poised to hear another disastrous rendition of "insert popular song here".  We were all incredibly surprised.  Why were we surprised?  What made us think she couldn't sing?  Her appearance, right? As if appearance has anything to do with the ability to sing.  We all pre-judged her.  Shame on us. 

In all the "life lessons" we've gone over in class, I'm sure this was one of them, but I do distinctly remember a certain lecture about interviewing.  In it, I said, "don't let your opinion of your interviewees looks, mannerisms, speaking, thoughts, feelings, or demeanor cloud your objectivity about them."  This is good advice for a reporter and good advice for us all.  

The Susan Boyle singing example holds another lesson for us here at Eagle TV:  that of letting your talents shine.  Let us all see how creative, talented and special you are.  Don't hide it. 

Susan Boyle was asked by Simon why she hadn't pursued a career in singing and she said that no one had given her a chance.  The truth is....she never seeked out opportunity.  You can't just wait around for someone to discover how good you are at something.  You have to take chances and put yourself "out there".  Let us see how good you are at.....editing....shooting.....producing ....writing....story-telling BY SHOWING US.  Don't wait for us to discover you because it may never happen.  Don't hide it.  Get up on "on stage" and show off a little!

What are you good at in video production that you haven't really shown anyone?  What do you think you'd be good at, given the chance to try?  Why haven't you pursued this?  How can you improve?  What do you want to be really good at in video production?  What do you want to be really good at in life?  What are you doing to make sure people see and hear you?  Are you taking steps to put yourself in a position of showing off your excellence?  What are you afraid of?  

All it takes is a brief walk up on stage.

Alive or Dead...lines!

I love a good laugh.  My mom always had a very infectious laugh and my brother inherited it, although I'm told when I really get going, you can't help but laugh when I get tickled too.  My dad always likes to laugh too.  

I like working with teenagers.  They can be very funny and I gotta tell you...some of the hardest and loudest laughs I've had, I've shared with my students.  

It's always a good idea to find humor in every day things, especially things you stress about. For instance, the recent hijacking of a ship by Somali pirates is disturbing.  What makes me giggle about this story is that we are talking about "pirates"!  I think of the bandanna-wearing, eye-patched, sword-bearing, knicker-wearing mean guys on the high seas in Disney movies, NOT modern day criminals...which is what they are.  When the Nightly News anchor says "pirates" in his broadcast with a straight face, I can't help but giggle.  

There is a guy who is writing a book about procrastination, William Pannepacker from Hope College....but he's a year overdue getting the book to the publisher!  That's funny!  I heard about this the other day and it's true.  Life is funny.

Deadlines are the banana peels on the sidewalk of my students.  Deadlines cause more slips than a lingerie factory and more trips than an overworked AirTran flight attendant for my well-intended video production kids.  Not sure why. But I don't find it funny.  Procrastination is a symptom of this disease for which I know of no cure.  

I'm told that procrastination happens because you are anxious or nervous about completing something.  Some studies say that some personality traits predispose certain individuals to do things...manana.  We talked today in class about looming deadlines.  We have a LOT to do and NOT a lot of time to do it in the next few weeks.  This causes me GREAT anxiety, but not because it's something I have to complete...it's because it's something my STUDENTS have to complete.  I have to relinquish control to my great, loving, grateful-to-Mrs. Watson-dedicated, talented students.  Did you hear all those compliments?  What are you afraid of?  I believe in you; not for what you can do to ease my anxiety but what you can do for yourself and how you can put your stamp on this program!  You're great!!!!  I really believe that.

No, I'm not trying to butter you guys up, but I'm trying to encourage you to do your best work, as I've said before.  That work that I've seen before.  You can't drop the ball now.  Hit the ground running this last six weeks.  Show me what you're made of! Surprise me by doing really fine work and turning it in early!  Make me incredibly proud!  Learn some new tricks and incorporate them into your final few projects!  Ask questions!  Answer questions of other students! Don't waste one minute!  Stay in the game!  Don't let these last couple of deadlines bite you on the booty!  An injury there is not pretty!  One of my former students at Mount Zion had to have 13 stitches there...because he missed his deadline....  jk...he fell off an anchor chair, but it still wasn't pretty.

Here's my deal....dig deep in your tired, homework-depleted, worn-out-from-11-or-12-years-of-high-school self and find your second wind for the last part of the race.  You do that, and I'll try not to be too stressed.  Deal?  Let's laugh and have fun these last few weeks because we have nothing to stress about because you're going to turn your stuff in by or before deadline.

Blog back to me about how excited you are about your last projects...your documentary and your senior video segment and your "how did I do this package" presentation.  I want to hear motivation and excitement.  You can do it.  Tell me how you're going to do this.  How will you keep yourself motivated and on-track.   You've been given much by Eagle TV...give back, in a big way!  Go out with a bang!  What can we expect from you?

Proposing Story Ideas

In my endless quest to get you guys to write well (not "good") I have you write story proposals.  These little gems force you to think about your story ideas from all angles and sell me the idea that you're proposing.  Let's just say, I'm glad I'm not relying on you to convince my supervisors that I need a raise.

Based on what I grade of your story ideas, none of you have the persuasiveness, the objectivity or the thoroughness to do this well, even though I've taught this skill many times in the classroom.  We've looked at examples and I've given you a story idea to write up in front of me and then we all discuss it, as a class.  Let me see if I can teach you how to do this, one more time.

1.  Use full sentences.  Let's start with the basics.  If I walked up to you in the hall one day and looked into your eyes and said, "A federal law making it illegal" would you know what in the world I was talking about?  This is not a full sentence.   Try this instead, "A federal law making it illegal to sell toys with lead in them and includes all terrain vehicles went into effect a week ago."

2.  If you have a strong opinion about the story and can't be objective, save the story for someone else.  As a reporter, you are to keep your opinion out of the story.  Tell me if you think this is un-biased and neutral:  "If you don't have your financial aid forms in by the deadline then they charge a 50-dollar fee.  If you had the money, you wouldn't be applying for financial aid. What about those students who work extremely hard in school and they can't go to college because of the expense?"  I felt like I was on the cusp of an emotional rant that was very personal for this student.  No where in the list of people to interview in this proposal was anyone in a financial aid office.  Biased?  What do you think?

3.  There are two sides to every story.  See above.

4.  Don't base your story idea on a passing thought you had.  Unless you can back it up with facts.  Here's one:  "I was listening to the radio and noticed that since Obama became president that urban radio stations are more politically inclined."  This comment reminds me of the phenomenon that when you buy a Honda, you suddenly notice all Hondas on the road.  This student needed to check on radio station formats and do research to see if formats had actually changed, before the story idea was turned it.  It is possible that her theory is true, but I'm not going to say go ahead to a story proposal that is not based in facts.  You have to convince me that there is merit to what you are saying.

5.  Your story must be pertinent to as many people as possible.   "I want to do a story on a family who had a tree fall on their house and it ruined their night."  Why not do a story on how my sink clogged up and we had to call a plumber, or how our gutters overflowed and rain poured in close to the foundation of my house?  Those things certainly ruined my night!  But it's not a story.  No one was injured or changed permanently.  This didn't have a lasting impact, neighbors weren't affected and after a week or two, there's no story anymore, or any available b-roll.  It's not newsworthy.  I've had a tree fall on my house before and although it was a real pain in the butt for a few days, I didn't see any live trucks parked in my driveway!

6.  Be specific.  There are two examples for this one that I can show.  First one, "this is a video about youth interested in different areas of work."  ???????  What???? I have no idea what you're talking about.  Let's keep reading:  "Some of these kids have already begun to pursue them regardless of their age."  Figured it out yet?  Me neither.  After reading the entire proposal, I think this is about young people finding their careers and beginning working in these fields long before they graduate from high school. Find a way to succinctly say what you're talking about in a way that we all understand.  

Here's another one:  "Every city has its own hidden treasures.  In this story, we would reveal some of our city's own hidden gems that are right under our fingertips."  Are we talking about Geraldo Rivera-go-in-a-cave-to-discover-a-treasure-chest-type of hidden gems or are we talking about places to visit, or things to do, or stores, or attractions that many people don't know about or what?  Give me some examples of what you're talking about.  

Here is a story idea that a couple of people suggested, but neither proposal hit the mark as far as a well-researched, thorough story.  Let me show you how I would do it: 

Bus Radio.  

About one year after the debut of bus radio in Cobb County, it has proven to be beneficial in keeping order on the buses as the kids are more likely to sit quietly and listen, than to start something on the bus. According to the Cobb County Annual Report, (www.cobb.k12.ga.us/annualreport08/operations1.htm) bus drivers have reported significant improvement in discipline and behavior since starting Bus Radio.   Bus radio advocates say that all programming is age-appropriate and socially responsible.  The company says they encourage their sponsors to deliver positive messages and they actively seek partnerships with sports and activity-related companies as well as those that provide healthy food and drink alternatives.

www.busradio.net/press_room.php?pr=20080905_fox_rowdy_students.html.

Alternately, however, concerns about wasted money on GPS systems which bus radio systems come equipped with have some parents and board members concerned in this era of budget cuts and cutbacks.  www.mdjonline.com/content/index/showcontentitem/area/1/section/21/item/124303.html.

I would interview bus drivers. students of all ages, parents, school board member and maybe a phoner from the Bus Radio headquarters.  I would also interview Jay Dillon our PR rep. for the county.  Because the story includes speculation about cost of the built in GPS and our district is in the throes of cutting back, I might also see if I could get an interview with our Superintendent.   I would shoot video on a bus where bus radio was being played.  I might open the story by showing that students were listening (or not listening depending on the case) to Bus Radio and interview students as they are riding the bus to see if they even hear it.  Then, maybe go into the psychology of why music has a calming effect or distracting effect and then close the story by showing a bus leaving the school.  The story would be different depending on the age group that I was doing the story on.  I think that the most impact bus radio would have would be on middle schoolers, because they don't drive yet and rely on the bus and because social status and peer pressure seem to have the biggest impact on their actions.  

See.  It's really not that hard to convince me of your story idea.  You have to be persuasive and un-biased.  You have to write correctly and with good grammar.  You have to show both sides and show me that you've done a little bit of legwork.  You have to back up your story with relevant facts and trusted sources.  This is your homework in BVP.  You have to put a little bit into it.

Now, go find a good story idea and SELL IT TO ME!  But first, respond to this blog by telling me why you are not doing your best on story proposals.  What questions do you have?  What can you do to make yourself do better with this?

We Got Third Place!

Sorry a couple of days have gone by since you’ve heard from us. I was banned from blogging.

Jackie Medley and I are great partners on these trips and apparently, she believes that my sleep at this point in our trip was much more important than posting a blog and pictures. I guess she’s right. Managing 18 students wandering around a hotel is not an easy task. I feel like a border collie….herding cats…in a thunderstorm…at night. You get the picture. At least they all have been focused on the task at hand. I make it sound much worse than it was. Overall, our kids have been very good.

At least, as I sit on this plane flying back to Atlanta, I am convinced that coming back home with the same kids you left with is certainly right up there on my list of field trip successes.

The kids have been excited to show us their finished videos and, barring the technical problems that the conference coordinators had, I’ve been able to see about half of the projects. We can’t wait to show them to you.

One student, Elon Sanders, made friends with another school and at that point, we had a hard time keeping him with us. I found him yesterday morning eating breakfast in the restaurant with them. We had a talk. Making friends, good – wandering off, bad.

We’re exhausted. Friday’s contest day was a whirlwind of activity, just like Thursday. Kids all over the hotel and surrounding areas, cameras and mics in hand with looks of determination on their faces dotted the landscape. Some kids were really excited about how they did with their competition, some not so sure. The best news to come out of the contest days is that we got third place in the Music Soundtrack competition! Congratulations goes to Laura Garcia and Hannah Davis!

Saturday’s closing ceremonies was fast-paced and began with a video compilation of all the schools who sent in video set to high energy music. We saw ourselves. We also were supposed to hear from keynote speaker Bob Woodruff from CBS news, but he got sent oversees on assignment and his wife spoke on his behalf. A journalist herself, she was an amazing speaker. Student emcees presented the awards and we saw snippets of the winning pieces, the format much like the Academy awards, minus the acceptance speeches.

With the awards ceremony over, we decided to check out Universal Studios for the second half of the day. We got a half-day pass to both Universal and its sister park and rode rollercoasters, saw shows, ate sweets and bought souvenirs. Frankly, I’m not sure how they had the energy to do any of this, but we ended up staying past 9pm to watch the parade and the Mardi Gras celebration. We all got beads thrown from the floats as they rode by.

We were the best dressed, most mature group of students at this conference I believe. Jasmine Walton agreed with me when I said it to them out loud. “We ARE a good looking group!” she said with enthusiasm. They have been fun to travel with.

We look forward to seeing you guys Monday morning.

I've had to give in to some demands

I've had to give in to some demands.

Some kids didn't finish shooting last night until 11:45pm, then had to report to the ballroom to edit at 6:45am. Kids in Live Reporting had their contest meeting at 7am, Documentary was at 7:30am and Music Soundtrack was at 7:15am. Countless technical problems due to the editing systems at the conference (not our equipment, thankfully), the stress of competition and a rapid-fire schedule of breakout sessions punctuated the day. "Sleep, Watson", they cry. "We need SLEEP!" I've had to give in a little to the mutiny.

After seeing several kids, who were up at 7am for their contest meeting face down in the bed at 10am, sleeping so soundly that a bomb wouldn't roust them, it becomes evident that perhaps they need a little shut eye. Students - 1, Taskmaster - 0.

I'm so proud of the fact that all day long, our students have competed with the video production cream of the crop across the country. They have taken ideas and tips from the breakout sessions and incorporated them into their contest videos. In the face of equipment malfunction or editing snags, they've remained cool and resourceful. With only a little panic in their voices, they've all been able to make deadline and breathe a sigh of relief when they come back to the hotel room with a project that they are proud of.

It hasn't been all work and not play, however. Once the grip loosened a little, students were able to relax a little and enjoy some down time in the pool.
They didn't get much downtime or rest. Unfortunately, while this teacher was making sure her students were in bed at curfew and in their rooms, other teaches/advisors didn't take that job too seriously. We were up until 2am Sat. morning listening to the loud rooms from the other schools. I guess I'll have more demands for sleep tomorrow morning.

First Full Day!

It's easy to be a chaperone and teacher at a conference where all the students are really into what's going on.  The hotel is nice, the food is good, the speakers and the breakout sessions are really interesting and our kids are so stoked about the competitions!

There are 1250 students, representing 33 states here at the conference.  The opening ceremony was packed with students as far as the eye could see, nearly everyone of them aiming a camera.  There's no "what happens in Orlando, stays in Orlando" here.  EVERYTHING is being video taped, produced, edited and broadcast!  It's a little like being followed around by paparazzi.  

Today and tomorrow are on-site competitions where the students have a limited time to produce, shoot and edit their videos, which they don't even know what they will be until the initial competition meeting.

Anchor John Roberts of CNN was the keynote speaker and gave the students a lot of advice about the journalism field.   The STN Student of the Year said a little something and then it was off to the races.  Luckily, the competitions are staggered so when they are not in the middle of shooting or editing, they are attending workshops.  The rules are strict and the competition is stiff and they are not even allowed to speak to me while they are working, lest they be disqualified.  We have students competing in Public Service Announcement, Music Video, Commercial, Music Soundtrack, Live Reporting, Anchoring, Broadcast News Writing and Documentary.  Tonight the deadline for one of the competitions is at 11:30pm and then reporting time for another competition tomorrow is 7am.  There is no rest for the weary or weak here; just like the broadcast field.  You have to run fast just to keep up with the guy next to you.  It's a very good learning experience.

Our kids have made friends with students from around the country and that has fueled a little bit of personal challenge among competitors.  Darius Marcus is taking part in the Live Reporting competition tomorrow, one of the most challenging of the on-site contests.  Students have to write a news story with a little bit of Associated Press wire copy, present it on camera live to an imaginary "anchor back in the studio" complete with live interview with a newsmaker involved in that story.  That "anchor" asks a question of the anchor who then has to ad lib an answer to that question correctly and then "tosses" it back to the studio.  It's a competition only for the student with nerves of steel.  Darius got into a discussion with another student  who seemed overly confident in his abilities to defeat Darius and everyone else.  It has stoked Darius' competitive nature and he's fired up about going toe to toe with this kid.  If you know Darius, you know he doesn't get to excited about a lot of things...he's one of the most laid back kids I teach.  I can't wait to see what happens! 

Les Rose from CBS news presented several great workshops and Al Tompkins from the Poynter Institute will be here on Saturday.  There are professional journalists all over the place... just hanging out with the kids.  Our students are involved, engaged, working hard and very proud of what they are doing and like I said earlier, it makes a chaperone's job very easy.

Having a big hot tub doesn't hurt either.