Lights, Camera, Connection: The Importance of Morning Announcements
Written by: John "Jack" Hesser
Lights, Camera, Connection: The Importance of Morning Announcements
Morning announcements have long been a staple of school routines, often relegated to scratchy intercoms and monotone voices rattling off lunch menus and dress code reminders. But what if they could be more? What if they could be the beating heart of a school’s culture—something students actually look forward to each day?
At our school, that transformation started not with a fully equipped media lab or a dedicated class, but with a few enthusiastic student volunteers and a simple idea: let’s make the announcements something worth watching.
From Volunteers to Visionaries
When we first began our journey into video announcements, we didn’t even have a media class. It was a handful of students who were willing to show up early, brainstorm segments, and put themselves out there on camera. We filmed with what we had and edited with iMovie. There was no blueprint—just a belief that students had something to say and deserved a platform to say it.
Not every teacher was immediately on board. With no time carved out in the schedule, showing the announcements meant giving up two or three precious minutes of the first period. But slowly, things started to shift. Students became the biggest advocates. They didn’t want to miss out on who was being celebrated that day, or the fun weekly segments like “Throwback Thursday,” where each Advisory class guesses which staff member is shown in a childhood photo. Soon, it wasn’t a question of whether the announcements would be shown—it was unthinkable not to show them.
Now, our daily announcements air every morning during advisory, built right into our master schedule. They run between two and four minutes and include everything from important reminders to community shoutouts. And they’re entirely student-driven.
Student Voice, Student Power
Today, our media team includes students from grades 6 through 8. They write the scripts, anchor the shows, act as field reporters, and handle filming. While adults still do the final editing, students are learning how to edit shorter clips and are on track to take full ownership in the near future.
Segments like “Trifangles”—a student-created scavenger hunt where triangle shapes are hidden around the school—have become legendary. It’s these moments of creativity, whimsy, and student-led fun that have helped turn our announcements into a cultural touchstone.
Our students aren’t just reporting the news; they’re shaping how our school feels each day. Being part of the media team gives them a real sense of ownership over our school’s identity. It’s a different kind of leadership—one that amplifies voices, sparks joy, and connects people in ways traditional announcements never could.
Tips for Getting Started
If you’re considering launching video announcements at your own school, here’s my biggest advice: start small. You don’t need daily content, a fancy camera, or a production studio. Try a weekly video featuring a student highlight and a quick shout-out from a teacher. Let your students help brainstorm ideas—they’ll surprise you.
Use tools you already have access to, like phones for filming and free editing software like iMovie. Focus on consistency and celebration. And remember, your biggest cheerleaders will become your students.
The Bigger Picture
Video announcements have become more than just a morning ritual for us—they’re a daily reminder that our students have ideas worth sharing and a school worth celebrating. When we hand them the mic (and the camera), they don’t just report the news—they create it.
In the end, morning announcements can do more than inform. They can inspire. And when they’re powered by student voice, they have the potential to connect an entire school community in just a few minutes a day.
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