Behind the Scenes: Quest Morning Show
At Quest Charter Academy, members of the Student Ambassador Club take great pride in keeping their fellow scholars engaged at school. They participate in a variety of events throughout the year and even host a weekly news segment called the Quest Morning Show.
Stephanie Young, the communities in schools (CIS) site coordinator, selected around a dozen students from fifth through eighth grade to be in the club. The students were nominated by their teachers, not just for their grades, but for their outstanding behavior and attendance. "We call them the best at Quest," Young explained.
One of the projects these students are involved with is the Quest Morning Show. Each week, the students brainstorm topics, create a script, and record a new episode. “We go through the school's calendar and pick all the big things for the coming week,” explained Young. “Then we look up the weather to see what it’s going to be like outside. We also do a Moral Focus Minute.”
Young says the experience allows students to share information on events for the week and messages of positivity and inspiration with their peers, but it’s not without its challenges. Young shared that stage fright in front of the camera was a big obstacle the first few weeks, but with a lot of support and encouragement that nervousness has slowly subsided. "It definitely builds confidence in them," she remarked.
The once shy students have become more comfortable and confident in front of the camera, leading to them becoming more creative with their show. "They started to come up with new ideas and really make it their own," Young proudly shared. "It's amazing to witness their transformation.”
She also revealed that while the students have a fun time creating the Quest Morning Show each week, they also take away something far more important: leadership and public speaking. These are just two of the traits that have helped Quest outperform the local district for the past eight years.
Young said she feels grateful for the opportunity to nurture the budding leaders. “It warms my heart seeing the kids grow into these leadership roles. It's just awesome."
Keep up the great work Ms. Young and the entire Student Ambassador Club!