Queens Elementary School Brightens Each Morning With 'Bee TV,' Its Own Newscast Hosted By Students
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- When COVID-19 hit, we all tried to find new ways to stay in touch.
A school in Queens kept its kids connected with a morning newscast featuring fellow students, CBS2's Cindy Hsu reported Wednesday.
Bee TV is a live five-minute program, broadcast throughout Public School 101 in Forest Hills, and to students at home. It has weather, sports, word of the day, and top stories.
"Today we have CBS Channel 2 News here covering us for a news story, and so Bee TV welcomes reporter Cindy Hsu and Channel 2 News to our school," a student named Ben said. "The news covering our news? How cool is that?"
The show also covers the announcements that used to come over the loud speaker every morning.
"The principal doesn't have to shout out those announcements and we can make it more professional," 9-year-old Liam Marcus said.
Bee TV started during COVID as a way to help all students feel connected. Adam Hyman is the school's media arts technology teacher.
"It was a nice way to almost bring the announcements to the kids who were working at home. We had more than half of our school working at home," Hyman said.
Ben, Liam and Katherine Diaz help run the show, and come to school early to get ready for their newscast, which hits at 8:25 a.m. each day.
Katherine explained why every part of the show is important.
"You have to watch the news to see the weather before you go to the beach because if you go to the beach when there is a storm that's a big 'Oh no,'" the 11-year-old said.
The students asked Hsu and cameraman Al Lesner lots of questions.
"Why did you guys choose this job?" Ben asked.
"I'm so curious. All I want to do is ask people questions all day, so that's perfect for a reporter," Hsu responded.
And as for Al ...
"By sheer chance I took TV Production 101 in college and I got hooked ever since and here I am," he said.
And stories like this is what makes the job so fun.
"In Forest Hills, Queens, I'm Katherine, I'm Ben, I'm Liam, and I'm Cindy Hsu CBS2 News."
By the way, only Liam has any interest in becoming a newscaster in the future, and that's if he doesn't make it to the Yankees.