OLD BRIDGE – About two dozen students enrolled in the ESL (English as a Second Language) program at Alan B. Shepard Elementary School recently presented the 2015-16 edition of Shark News 12.
Parents, staff, and community members watched the latest edition of the news show – which was designed to mimic news broadcasts found on national television – as well as a five-minute segment of “Classroom Close-up NJ,” a half-hour television show that showcases innovative projects in New Jersey public schools.
The Shark News 12 program was designed to give each student a job of either news anchor or news correspondent, according to a statement prepared by the school district. The youngsters researched types of news segments and events that took place at their school. They then worked on teams to create news stories for a school-wide broadcast, which included sports, entertainment and features.
The youngsters brainstormed their ideas for the show, interviewed classmates and teachers, created scripts, selected art to go along with their stories and edited copy.
The students, who participated in the ESL program, entered the school year with limited English language proficiency. This project was designed to meet the social, emotional, and academic needs of ESL learners. The project was student-run and student-directed. As the students, who represent nine countries and speak Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bangla, Russian, Polish, and Mandarin, produced the segments, they also practiced conversational skills.
The ESL teachers responsible for the program, Kaia Karmyn and Veronica O’Brien, along with Shepard Principal Joseph Marinzoli, who all came to the event dressed in formal attire, encouraged the K-3 students to walk the red card carpet and receive their awards similar to the Emmys for participating in the program.
“We developed the program last year so our students would learn to speak with confidence and enthusiasm,” O’Brien said.
Karmyn said the two teachers included each and every ESL student at Shepard in the broadcast and both teachers expressed their excitement when more than 90 percent of the families attended the premiere.
During the 90-minute program, parents, students, their families, teachers and staff members participated in a dinner, which was paid for through a $700 PRIDE grant from the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) to the Old Bridge Education Association (OBEA). According to the PRIDE website, NJEA initiated PRIDE in Public Education in 1994 with the campaign aimed at sharing the successes of New Jersey’s public schools and building community support and involvement.