WDIO news anchor Maarja Anderson and cameraman Carl recently visited Birch Grove Community School in Tofte to offer tips and help the students produce their radio program in a video format.
On May 17, WDIO’s news anchor Maarja Anderson and cameraman Carl joined Birch Grove Community School’s second- through fifth-graders. The visit was sparked by a local radio program called “School News” which airs weekly on WTIP.
Fontaine,which airs weekly on WTIP. Holly Sandefer has led a radio program initiative this year, and students all have practiced public speaking, annunciation, and comedic timing. Every one of the children has contributed to to the airwaves and they each have had a turn in writing and directing the program.
The students now are entirely responsible for the show’s content and interviews. Over the winter, Birch Grove enhanced the school news by adding a weather station to now include meteorologist and news anchors of its own.
Of course the next step was to try out the program in video. Maarja and Carl from Duluth’s Good Morning Northland were excited to expand the audience and agreed to visit their young trainees to offer advice, mentorship, and skill building.
Birch Grove Community School in Tofte is a charter school affiliated with Volunteers of America. It has a service learning plan that allows the classrooms to find ways to be of service to everyone in the community. Through community lunch, weekly broadcasts, free plays, clothing and food drives, all of the students learn the value of public service.
This new outlet was highlighted during their time with Maarja, and may soon air on WDIO as a news story. There is also a YouTube Channel that will occasionally air the recorded programs.
Leave a Reply