Amherst Middle School teacher named 'most innovative' of year

Rob Zdrojewski, Amherst Middle School's technology education teacher, was selected as one of the Most Innovative Educators of 2007 by The Journal - Educational Technology Magazine, for the development of the Amherst Middle School Tech TV Studio and Program.

Zdrojewski, who wanted a project to complement his curriculum, suggested that students produce a daily news show in place of the middle school principal and students giving a live morning broadcast.

With support from Principal Diane Klein, Zdrojewski acquired a $2,500 grant from Best Buy, fashioned a studio in his school office, and put in hours of labor on weekends and school breaks in order for his Tech TV Program and Studio to become a reality.

Students produce the daily news show. They sign up for newscaster and behind the-camera "intern" jobs, and some become senior producers. Currently, Zdrojewski has six senior producers and five crews, one for each day of the school week.

The students arrive every morning at 8 a.m. and write scripts, select graphics and music, operate camcorders, format graphics, direct, work with digital photography, set up lights, check microphone levels, design backgrounds and produce DVDs.

Each show is recorded live, and it is broadcast via a closed-circuit system to the rest of the school. Every student in the school participates in the Tech TV Program before leaving the middle school. The students learn skills in project management, teamwork, presentations and writing. Zdrojewski said the students gain an enormous amount of confidence from the program.