Change My World

Been a bit quiet lately, as I've been sunning myself in Bali (like a lizard) and not missing the terrible weather we are having in New Zealand.
But all good things come to an end and now I'm back at work and Bali is becoming a distant memory.

At 'my' school, Bucklands Beach Intermediate, in Auckland, there is great excitement. We have been working to set up a local radio station. Our students are aged between 10 and 13, and we have been training them up to be DJs, interviewers etc for the new radio station 'The Wave' (we are by the beach). We have a license for limited live broadcasting and a area radius of about 5kms.

Here is an extract from a local newspaper - Howick and Pakuranga Times

'Students at Bucklands Beach Intermediate are making waves as their new radio station goes live to air each day.
Year 7 Bucklands Beach Intermediate students (names removed) know how to work the mike at the school's new radio station.
Term two saw the launch of The Wave 88.1FM, a radio station operated by student DJs and technicians.
“The DJs talk and the techies control the volume,” says technician (name removed), aged 11.
“We play a lot of music and we do jingles, narratives and stingers.”

Year 7 pupils write scripts for shows, which run 8-9am and 12-1pm daily.
“They do the top 10 music list, a comedy section and we do celebrity gossip.
“Some times we go through notices,” says technician (name removed), aged 12.
“We have different themes because there’s different people on each day, so we might have joke day or Kiwiana day.”

Teacher Mr Barrow developed the radio concept to boost student confidence.
“They pretty much run the whole thing and I just oversee it. It’s good because they do all the talking and prepare all the scripts and they bring in all the songs. I just look after all the licences,” says Mr Barrow.

The station can be received on radios up to 5km from the school.
“It all depends on if there are hills in the way,” says Mr Barrow.'

It is yet another way to engage our students and switch them onto school.