By Angela Pometto
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 5/20/04)

Lights, camera, action. It’s "Good Morning St. Leo’s" on WLEO Channel 100 as the school day begins with a prayer, the pledge of allegiance, a list of birthdays and announcements. The in-house television show, staffed and produced entirely by eighth-graders, has proved to be an outlet for creativity, a confidence builder and a hands-on training opportunity.

The show took to the airwaves at St. Leo School in Fairfax last fall. The student-run broadcast, which runs about five minutes each morning, appeals to the broad audience of four- to 14-year-olds and has become a unifier as eighth-graders learn what the third-graders are doing and first-graders get a glimpse of what to look forward to in sixth-grade.

The students now pay attention as their fellow students read the announcements in costume for a Shakespeare festival, or when teacher Linda Parker dresses up with a straw hat and sunglasses to introduce her class food drive.

This is where the creativity comes in. In the background, relevant images, graphics and photos often show the outside view of the school or the crucifix inside the church. The backdrop for the show is a green wall, where students can superimpose another image behind the anchors, to appear as if they are broadcasting from outside the school. The WLEO logo and school mascot, the lion, have been added.

The fairly high-tech equipment provides the student anchors with a teleprompter and two cameras, allowing shots from between cameras, to still images or to video. They have learned how to double up effects by having the camera on the anchors and adding a smaller boxed video in the same shot.

The day starts early for the six students who get the job done each morning. This year’s anchors are the student council president and vice president. All other production details are done by four eighth-graders, who run the cameras and controls. Since it is such a new program, the students have been using their computer and language arts time to work with the studio.

Next fall, an elective class on TV production will be offered, combing work in the studio with the history of broadcast media. More students will work on clip art and text writing — all back up work to get more involved.

The TV station is supervised by Ann Heinz, technology specialist, and Monica Craven, library teacher. "I had to learn how to use the equipment before teaching it," said Heinz, adding that she did not have much experience with audio/visual technology. After learning the basics, though, both she and Craven are enjoying it.

The Parent Teacher Organization and Development Committee raised funds for the TV studio over the past few years. After buying the equipment, the entire building was cabled for the in-school broadcast last August.

"The TV station promotes student self-confidence and self-esteem," said Diane Drews, principal of St. Leo School. The curriculum follows guidelines for public speaking and language arts, and Drews believes it generates interest and enthusiasm among the student body.

"It brought out good qualities in kids," Craven said, in addition to teaching the eighth-graders responsibility, as well as technical skills. The students are learning a skill while building confidence, and they may consider broadcast journalism as they continue through high school and college. They also discover qualities about themselves that will define who they grow up to be.

"Sometimes it’s the shyest child who has the most confidence in front of the cameras," said Heinz.