ASCA Conference 2011 Favorites: "WE SOAR TV"

I arrived early at the "WE SOAR TV: 10 Minutes Makes a Difference" session because I was so excited about attending it.  I wanted to gain ideas about how I could infuse ASCA standards into the morning announcements at school next year.

"WE SOAR TV" is a student run television show. Presenters Anaid Shaver, the school counselor and Cheryl Phillips a Instructional Technology Resource Teacher facilitate the program. "WE SOAR" airs live everyday on TVs in the school. Anaid is able to integrate ASCA academic, career, and personal/social standards into the program to reach every student, every day.

Since I came early to the session and was invited to be a "host" to demonstrate the program live for the conference audience along with another "host." It was so much fun. We both really got into it.

The whole time I was "hosting" I was picturing students at my own school and how much they would LOVE to be the hosts of a television show for their peers.

Build-A-Bear Eagles
If you don't have televisions in your classrooms at school, you could still facilitate a program like this.  You could have students host the program over the pa system like a "radio" show.

The "WE SOAR TV" program was aptly named since the school mascot is an eagle.  Anaid shared that she found stuffed eagles at a Build-A-Bear store that are often featured on the show as mascots. 

What I love most about this program is that it could be geared toward elementary, middle, or high school. You can really make it fit the needs of your school and give the students ownership by having them play a large role in the direction of the program.

I have big plans for how I want to run a program like this at my school. I love what I call "branding" programs and making everything fit with a theme. Since my school mascot is a leopard, it would be fun to call the show WE ROAR.  Our TV or "radio" program could integrate our School Wide Positive Behavior Support program. It also would be fun to feature a different career or each month a different career cluster.

I am planning to use Vistaprint to design a banner for this program once I get student input of what they want to call it. Vistaprint has great custom banners you can design and order for your own program. (Check out some of the other items I have made using Vistaprint!)

To read more about the "WE SOAR" program visit Anaid's AMAZING website that is chalk full of resources and ideas. I will definitely be a regular visitor of her site.

How will you use a program like "WE SOAR" in your school? Comment below, tweet, or contact Danielle, share on the School Counselor Blog Facebook Page!

Danielle is a K-12 Certified School Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and blogger at School Counselor Blog, a place where school counselors share innovative ideas, creative lesson plans, and quality resources.  Contact Danielle via email, follow her on twitter, and become a fan of the School Counselor Blog Facebook Page.

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