HARTFORD -- A story produced by students at South Windsor High School kicked off the relaunch of the FOX 61 Student News program Friday.
"Josie, The therapy dog" was produced by SWHS students Lauren Adamo, Madison Donahue and Hannah Mitchell. They reported on a program at Orchard Hill Elementary school that uses a golden retriever to help students improve their reading skills.
The story premiered during FOX 61 Good Day Connecticut on Friday around 7:40 a.m. Dr. Dianna R. Wentzell, Connecticut's Commissioner of Education, SWHS teacher Phil Rockey, and Madison Donahue, the reporter for the story, appeared on air to talk about the learning experience.
Other students from the SWHS Broadcast Journalism class joined Rockey and Donahue at the station and were treated to a cake and a reception after the interview segment.
FOX 61 Student News lets Connecticut middle and high school students create stories by producing original content under the guidance of industry professionals.
Each segment will feature a local story or event, and is evaluated by members of the FOX 61 staff. Segments will be featured on-air during Friday's Good Day Connecticut around 7:30 a.m., the 5 and 10 p.m. news, Saturday morning, our Facebook page and FOX61.com. A ceremony is being planned for the end of the year to honor the best stories submitted with scholarships. Big Y supermarkets is the main sponsor of the program.
Other schools from around the state are participating including Manchester High School, Norwich Free Academy, and Howell Cheney Technical School.
The origins of the FOX 61 Student News date back to the early 1990s when it was originally called Fox 61 Kids News. Over the years, student participants went on to careers in the television including FOX 61's Audrey Kuchen, WTSP's Dion Lim and CNN's Will Ripley.
If your school would like to get involved learn more here or email us at studentnews@fox61.com.
