CBS4 Anchor Eliott Rodriguez Hit The Classroom For Miami HS Fundraiser

MIAMI (CBS4) - It's crunch time in the control room of Stingtown News at Miami Senior High School as the anchor team, video editors and production crew are getting ready for their morning newscast.

As the floor director gives a ten minute stand-by warning, anchor Andrea Landa, a Miami High senior, is practicing her script. She reads out loud as CBS4 Anchor Eliott Rodriguez gives her some anchoring tips. Eliott also checks in with Teleprompter operator Lissette Chavez and producer Melissa Martinez.

The students producing Stingtown News are among 175 Miami High students enrolled in Dr. Joe Underwood's Television Production class. The students produce a live, 10-minute newscast in both English and Spanish every morning. They get hands-on experience using computer editors, studio cameras and other professional television production equipment.

Dr. Underwood is considered a mentor by many of his students, with one telling Eliott that Underwood is "like a father" to him.

Dr. Underwood invited Eliott to be a teacher for a day as part of the Education Fund's Celebrity Teach-A-Thon, an effort to have local professionals walk in a shoes of a teacher for a day while raising money for Miami-Dade public schools. Eliott spoke to the class and gave them some tips about the television news business, and then oversaw the production of Stingtown News.

For his work, Eliott and Dr. Joe received donations from supporters to the Education Fund.

"All of the money raised goes back to helping teachers do a great job with their students. It goes to supplies and equipment like you see here," said Linda Lecht, President of the Education Fund. "The Teach-A-Thon is an effort to let people see what it's like to be a teacher and let them support our teachers."

For more information on the Education Fund's Teach-A-Thon go to www.educationfund.org.