READY, SET, SPLASH! Destin Middle School students are making waves with daily TV broadcast (PHOTOS)

“Good morning, Marlins!”

Each day, the students at Destin Middle School start the school day off by watching the daily news before settling into their studies.

Splash TV is a daily closed circuit broadcast show filmed on-site at DMS to inform the Marlins about what’s going on around the school.

“When students are doing interesting things, the staff wants everyone to know about it so they can be inspired as well,” said Kathleen Armstrong. “Splash TV is just another way for us to do that.”

To view more photos of Splash TV, click here.

Armstrong is the editor and advisor of Splash TV. She writes the daily newscasts to ensure all the important information is aired and then edits the film before it is broadcast.

Student anchors lead the Pledge of Allegiance and announce birthdays, upcoming events, sports news and campus activities.

“I really enjoy it when kids that are not normally confident or talkative participate,” said Armstrong.

Nicole Leurinda, a sixth grade special needs student with autism, loves to do the morning news and announcements.

“She practices overnight and then comes in and knows her lines perfectly,” said Armstrong. “It is fun to see her personality come out through the lines in the script.”

Nicole’s one-on-one coach, Mary Weeks, has been working with Nicole for six years.

“Doing the morning news has improved her fluency in speech, eye contact and voice inflection,” said Weeks. “It’s her first year at DMS and it’s made the transition easier.”

As for Nicole’s favorite part of being a Splash TV star, it’s seeing herself on the big screen and hearing a round of applause from her peers.

“I want everyone to make some noise,” said Nicole after filming. “And I like to take a bow at the end.”

However, she isn’t the only student who has benefited from starring on Splash TV.

“The kids improve on their public speaking. They get immediate feedback from me and the TV monitor,” Armstrong told the Log. “Additionally, repeated reading builds fluency which increases comprehension of other materials.”

Abigail Ortega, a fifth grader, says that since being on Splash TV she has lost her stage fright and she’s not as shy.

“Her lines are delivered in a great conversational way, and she seems like she has been doing it on NBC for years,” said Armstrong.

The show lasts between five and 10 minutes, but can take about an hour to practice, record and edit before it is ready to be put on a DVD for broadcast during the morning advisory period.

Students do all the broadcasts, commercials and a daily message encouraging positive character traits called, “The Six Pillars Thought of the Day.” The students also write and film a “Word of the Week” segment and any commercials needed for their club or team.

All the hard work doesn’t go without a little fun, though.

“The kids also like to play around on the green screen,” said Armstrong. “So we have some funny moments of students disappearing and just being kids and having fun.”