The Standard, by Ashley Sperling

 

Television sets will become fixtures in classrooms and hallways of Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School as part of a student-run television system.

 

The internal broadcast system at the south St. Catherines school will be used for school announcements, highlights of school events and to showcase student work.  Students and staff will be able to broadcast from anywhere in the school.

 

Grade 12 communication technology students will run the network as part of their class.  School staff will oversee the work.

 

"I think it's a really neat, little piece of technology," said student Mike Brousseau.  "It adds an extra dimension."  Mike thinks it will make getting messages out to students more efficient.

 

The school-wide television network project will also allow teachers to use five cable channels, such as Discovery Channel, in their classrooms. 

 

"The entire school will be involved one way or antoher," said Peter Domarchuk, computer site manager at Sir Winston Churchill.

 

Domarchuk and Jill Russell, the communication technology teacher, said the TV system will increase school spirit.  They said other schools with similar projects in Ottawa got many students to participate.

 

"It's really up to the creativity of the students for where they want to go with it," said Russell.  She said students are already involved in creating logos, animations and original music for the project.

 

"It's a showcase for student talent - there's some funny and intelligent kids and that's their canvas," said Domarchuk.

 

School prinicipal Mike Simpson said the system should be up and running at the beginning of April.  He said the project costs about $62,000.  Sir Winston Churchill will receive $50,000 in special technology funding from the Ontario Ministry of Education.  The rest of the money is coming from the District School Board of Niagara.

 

Currently, the project is being dubbed SWC TV.  It will be the only such system in St. Catherines.  Domarchuk said Ridgeway-Crystal Beach Secondary is the only other school in Niagara with a similar program.

 

The communication technology students already run a bi-monthly program called the Friday Show that is broadcast in the auditorium.  It will now be shown in each classroom.

 

Mike said this means students in the class will be pushed to do their best work because the entire school will see it.

 

Russell said any student can submit material to be broadcast on the Friday show.

 

Communication and technology students and staff say that the new system will likely involve a lot of work in and outside the classroom.

 

"I'm already putting in time outside the class," said Mike.

 

So far, the school has been wired for the TV's and the rest of the equipment has been ordered.

 

"The next phase would be a full-blown production studio," said Simpson.