Cortland News is a morning video announcement club run by a dedicated group of fifth-graders. Each day a small crew produces the morning announcements through live broadcast instead of traditional intercom reports. This news crew comprises one executive producer, two anchors, and two student directors. Students record every morning between 8:45 a.m. and 9:10 a.m. and the videos are posted by the 9:15 daily announcement time. The entire school can then view the broadcast on screen in class. Cortland news announcements are announced in English and Spanish and are used to showcase celebrations such as monthly observances like Black History Month, PBIS expectations, rewards, and Cortland’s daily menu.
 

The announcement club was created by group teacher Mr. Michael Tito and first launched in 2019. Inspired by his experience with high school broadcasting and a workshop about fifth-graders running a podcast, Mr. Tito had the idea to adopt a student-run program at Cortland. With the support of Principal Jennifer Hillard, Cortland News was developed.
 
Mr. Tito wanted to allow students to have practice with taking ownership of their opportunities and to learn responsibility. “My hope for this program is that the children will gain a sense of pride and independence,” said Tito. “I want to prepare them for middle and high school.” Tito also believes these skills will be most useful in a tech-driven society.
 
Starting with about 30 interested students, Cortland News has grown to more than 60 members and is the highlight of fifth grade for many students. The position is initiative-based and is filled by students who have spent time watching these live broadcasts as second-, third-, and fourth-graders. At the beginning of each year, Mr. Tito teaches students how to use the equipment, and afterward, the executive producers oversee the setup. Scripts are made with a template and are edited by Mr. Tito.
 

Pictured above is the news crew from February 23 2024, which was run by students: Andrew G. (anchor 1), Sherlyn M. (anchor 2), Arturo T. (prompter/script writer), Alan M. (broadcast engineer), and Charles K. (executive producer).
 
Watch Cortland News Live at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe6cj6qwBnBviAalWiyKulQ