Turning the tables

Last Thursday, WFAA (Channel 8) came out to visit the After School Academy and video a piece that will air on their After the Bell segment. As was expected, we prepared for their visit and chose two of the kids in the Jr. Reporters program and Shawn Williams, President and founder of Dallas South News (also the founder of our Jr. Reporters program) to speak to Chris Flanagan, the reporter for the event.

However, before they left, our Jr. Reporters turned the tables on them. Ishmael asked to sit down with Chris in order to conduct his own interview. You can see the preview of the segment in the video above.

Watch the entire segment tomorrow morning at 6:20 a.m. on WFAA Channel 8.

We found out yesterday that Channel 8 liked the segment so much, they put it at the end of their "sweeps" period (for those of you who are journalists, I'm assuming you know what that means. For those of us who aren't, I've been told it's a really good thing! :) )

Tune in tomorrow!!

Dallas South News' Junior Reporters in training

Dallas South News' founder, Shawn Williams, conducts a Junior Reporter class at our After-School Academy every Thursday. He's working toward getting them to the point of being able to post articles on the Dallas South News website. Last Thursday I met up with Randy after he won the "Junior Reporter of the Week" award. He was so proud! The kids had been learning about asking open-ended questions. This Thursday, the kids began working with the Flip video cameras. As far as I can tell, the kids had never worked the video cameras before. You can hear Shawn instructing them in this random video below: But, as we know, kids are quick learners. After a few simple instructions about how to work the Flip video camera, the kids quickly moved to interviewing each other. Shawn was impressed that the open-ended questions lesson had stuck. Kwane, interviewing Lewis here, was awarded the "Junior reporter of the week" this week. Check it out. I think you'll understand why: I couldn't resist posting Ishmael's interview. I love his beginning answer, "I go to school. I get a good education." Toward the end he explains what he does to get that good education. He's already preparing, whether he knows it or not, to be a great college student! Keep an eye out for more from these Junior Reporters.