There’s something different, a little more polished, about the morning announcements at Alexandria City High School these days.
Students and Alexandria City Public Schools leadership were on-hand last Friday for the opening of the newly renovated television studio for ACHS’ TV and Media Production class. With top notch equipment to boot, the new studio looks like something out of CNN, offering students real-world experience in television production, including directing, operating cameras and creating educational content.
“This spectacular studio that we see here today represents more than an enhanced makeover of an older facility,” Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt said. “We see a state-of-the-art studio with advanced technology and software offering all of our Titan students the exciting experience of being on a set very similar to actual local, regional and national TV networks. Here, under the guidance of our dedicated staff members, our students can learn about every aspect of television production.”
The studio renovation has been years in the making. It includes an anchor desk, backlit signage, a platform for standup reports and more.
The five-minute video packages that are broadcast throughout the school take an entire class period to make. They can include feature stories about the school and on-location coverage of school sporting events.
“The TV and media class has become the center of most, if not all of our lives,” said senior Laura Barry-Lenger. “These past few years, students have had the opportunity to film all types of events, ranging from school sports games to visiting Old Town and speaking to the locals.”
The studio renovation was funded by federal grant dollars in the ACPS capital improvement budget.
“Having independent journalists who do the hard work without AI (artificial intelligence) … is so important to a thriving democracy,” School Board Member Ashley Simpson Baird said. “We’re so excited about the Titan journalists here and all the future journalists that will be out in the world one day.”
Vilma Zefran, who has been teaching the class for 27 years, said the new studio helps students with their performance.
“This is a real studio that they are working in,” Zefean said. “It’s not for staff, it’s not for adults. It is for them.”
