Wednesday, January 8, 2003
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Wednesday, January 8, 2003 |
School radio station keeps students and parents informedWhat do students and parents at Rising Starr Middle School do when they want to hear announcements and school information day or night? They tune into WRSM 100.1 FM, Panther Radio. About two years ago technology teacher Bob Didier had the idea to start a radio station at the school that would be operated by himself and other students who were interested in learning more about the radio industry. The formation of the station stemmed from a module Didier was teaching his classes on digital sound where students learned how to work with sound on the computer. As students were learning to work with sound Didier says the idea for the station popped into his head. "I thought it would be great to have the students broadcast what they were doing over the airwaves so that they could be heard at home," he said. Didier was able to find a FM transmitter that would allow a broadcast to be carried up to a five-mile radius from the school. The station operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and supports a host of programming from information and announcements to a variety of school appropriate musical selections including genres such as pop rock, alternative, Christian, country and movie sound tracks as well as performances of the Rising Starr Middle School band. Students at the school have formed a radio club to maintain the broadcast. Currently there are seven students who are members. "Although we have been operating for a couple of years, the station has really gained in popularity this year," said Didier. Throughout the year the club promotes the station by sponsoring listening parties and giving out free CDs and band promotional items. The station has a music supplier that routinely sends CDs of new bands or new releases from existing ones. The supplier also provides additional CDs, posters, pins, DVDs, videos, stickers and other promotional items that are used as giveaways at the parties. Didier says the station brings many benefits to both the school's students and parents. "It is another way for students to get involved and learn about the radio industry and it gives us an additional avenue to communicate information to students and parents," he added. The station is run out of the school's technology lab.
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