Behind the Scenes of the FLVS Full Time Newscast

Lights, Camera, Action! Our FLVS Full Time high school has made more FLVS history by launching a live-streaming news show.

The premiere was broadcast on Monday, March 13 on our YouTube Mega News Network (MNN).

This is a new format for FLVS Full Time in which a live host presents a mixture of media and pre-recorded material to deliver school news and announcements in an entertaining way, targeting our audience of students and families who are very familiar with the YouTube culture.

As the sponsor for this new student opportunity, I had the pleasure of hosting the premiere and had a lot of fun opening the show with an Oscar-themed skit. The show also featured a pre-recorded segment with Peer Ambassadors Zeynab and Keren, as well as an animated commercial created by Peer Ambassador Maleeka.

I had a chance to speak with our Principal, Ken Henson, after the show’s season finale back in May. 

Mr. Henson said the goal this year was to pilot the idea of a live show to see if it would become an avenue to communicate with our students. He feels it was a huge success and an opportunity to learn more about our students and the technology involved in broadcasting a live show. It also provided an opportunity to bring teachers, students, and staff members together in a fun, creative environment.

I also asked him what he hoped to see the show grow into during the next school year. To this he responded:

“I would like to see the show grow into a platform for students and staff to actively participate in communicating with our school community.  Social media is a huge part of the culture of our current students and is a great opportunity for us to continue to build a sense of community within our school.  By creating a weekly or bi-weekly news program created by students and teachers working collaboratively, we will be able to continue to build strong and positive relationships with our students and parents.”

The background stages and sets were created using a green screen!

The format of the show, used by many popular YouTubers, allows teachers and students to incorporate live television elements like virtual sets, camera transitions, music, and even audience interaction from the comfort of an office or room. In fact, the second show was broadcast directly from our Virtual Learning Center (VLC) which is home to FLVS headquarters.

The goal of the show is to provide another avenue to engage our students and families outside of the virtual classroom using a platform they are very familiar with. Open casting for our 2017-18 crew was open for a few weeks in May and we already have students working on their auditions for specific positions in the show. We will have another casting call in the Fall for any other FLVS Full Time high school students interested in being a part of the crew.

Peer Ambassador Jake getting ready to interview Mr. Blocker, FLVS President & CEO during our live broadcast from the VLC on April 3rd.

Teacher crew members getting ready to go live! Ms. Liverotti & Ms. Marbra (anchors); Ms. Arnaud & Student Peer Ambassador Jake (with teleprompter).

I think this year will see us developing this pilot program even more, learning how to work collaboratively while overcoming the challenge of our crew living in different geographic locations, and trying out new technology and different platforms for broadcast. We hope to develop something unique, innovative, and with a distinct FLVS Full Time flavor that will bring engagement to the next level.

Want to learn more? More information will be provided to FLVS Full Time students after the school year begins. In the meantime, watch our 2016-17 broadcast as a VOD (Video on Demand) on our channel and subscribe to receive notifications of future broadcasts!