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Schools

VIDEO: Minnetonka Student Newscasts Represent Much More Than Morning Announcements

Newscasts at Scenic Heights and Minnetonka High School teach students skills that translate into other aspects of life.

Spend five minutes at and it won't take long to realize that morning announcements in other schools don't have quite the same feel, thanks to KRTS.

"KRTS is our daily news show," said Melinda Barry, media specialist at Scenic Heights. "Our fifth graders put the news on every day."

At KRTS, kids run the show, which means that every week, a different cast and crew writes the stories, runs the cameras, operates the sound board and acts as on-air talent.

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"I think it's fun that we get to write stories and be on camera and tell the whole school about fun stuff that is upcoming in Minnetonka," said Reagan Rohling, a 5th grader at Scenic Heights.

Announcements aside, the students also get hands-on experience that translates into the classroom and other aspects of life.

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"Their writing skills, their presenting skills, and it builds a lot of confidence too," Barry said.

But it doesn't stop at the fifth grade level. At , some KRTS alumni showcase those same skills on the Minnetonka Morning Show.

Minnetonka seniors Katy Winge and Maddie Trow both have fond memories of their Scenic Heights experience.

"I loved doing KRTS at elementary school," Winge said. "It was always really fun; something I looked forward to."

"My teacher had actually asked me to be a lead anchor twice," Trow recalled from when she was in 5th grade. "I was really excited about that. So I think that's kind of transferred over, my interest being on the morning show."

Today, Winge, Trow and more than 20 other Minnetonka students work together to make the morning show happen day after day.

"It certainly shows when kids come in here and they know what they're talking about," said Jake Sturgis, visual communications coordinator at Minnetonka High School.

For some students, KRTS helped to lay that groundwork.

"Maybe some of us want to be a news reporter when we're older," Rohling said.

KRTS gives her a head start to make that happen.

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