Here is a presentation I wrote (and produced and edited) to secure corporate sponsors for a digital education initiative:
Hello, I’m Meteorologist Erika Martin from WTNH News 8 – and I'm here to tell you about our 'WeatherEdge Academy' program.
'WeatherEdge Academy' is a forum that brings together Connecticut students who are interested in weather and the sciences. We visit their schools, we host them here in our studio, and we interact and share with them online. Most importantly, we create and nurture real relationships with these students – giving them a chance to learn and grow – and giving us a chance to support and encourage their passion for the sciences.
The seeds for 'WeatherEdge Academy' were planted back in 2012, when we launched a new website called 'WeatherEdge.com' – a hyper-local site devoted to everything weather and climate-related in Connecticut.
Shortly after launching 'WeatherEdge.com,' we began noticing that an impressive number of Connecticut students were visiting the site – and they seemed eager to learn and participate. We quickly decided to extend the ‘WeatherEdge' brand into schools across the state as a way to reach and inspire children. And with that, 'WeatherEdge Academy' was born.
(Sound bite: Erika, meeting with students: "The new future female scientists, this is amazing...")
Immediately, my fellow meteorologists and I began our weekly visits to Connecticut schools. We always bring our mobile weather lab – which the kids love – and we have a great time sharing our experiences and discussing with the students science, technology, and careers in meteorology.
(Sound bite: Student, ending a live shot during a newscast: "Back to you at the desk...")
And that’s just the beginning – we’re sincerely committed to these students, and we open our doors, our minds, and our hearts to them. We spotlight their hard work and scientific achievements, we invite them to use our tools here in the studio and in our weather center, we give them encouragement and guidance about careers in the sciences, we partner with after school programs, camps, and science fairs to reach as many of them as possible, and we invite them to become member-contributors to 'WeatherEdge Academy' – which lets them share their insights about weather and science on 'WeatherEdge.com' and allows them to interact with us and with other students – and this, in turn, helps everyone learn and grow.
(Sound bite: Daryl Taylor, a local teacher: "Our partnership with News 8 is wonderful because the kids aren't just attached to Greenwich High School, now they're attached to public broadcasting. It becomes an extension of Greenwich High School, it's almost like having a satellite campus that offers things that we can't. Kids run around saying, 'Oh, we had the most hits this week, we had 1,200 hits, we're the best article there is.' It's pretty cool; it makes them feel like they've accomplished something. You have someone who comes in from the field with big credentials, or they're on television like Erika is, and [the students] zone in and think, 'What she says is important.' And that's invaluable...")
These days, the ‘WeatherEdge’ brand has grown into a thriving community of enthusiasts – students, professionals, and academics alike – and it has created a vibrant and vital conversation about weather and climatology in Connecticut.
(Sound bite: Zach Duhaime, a local student: "My life has changed, basically, because of 'WeatherEdge.com' Some kids in the past didn't understand why I liked the weather so much, but once they saw I was on 'WeatherEdge.com,' getting 25,000 reads on articles and putting up technical discussions and forecasts, they were actually pretty impressed. And I'm impressed with myself with how far I've come, being in elementary school liking the weather to now actually using the green screen here at News 8 to writing on 'WeatherEdge.com.' It's been such an experience, and it's something I'll never forget...")
Zach's experience is the kind that thrills us the most – and motivates us to keep going. When we started 'WeatherEdge Academy,' we did so with the goal of supporting young talent as they work toward their dreams – and to see that goal being realized has been an amazing experience. It’s all about community, it’s all about sharing, and it’s all about mentoring – that’s what we believe – and this is our way to give back and to inspire these young students to become the next great generation of scientists and leaders.
(Sound bite: Grace Herrick, a local student: "I'm really passionate about the environment, and I want to create a technology when I'm older to help the world be a better place...")
For WTNH News 8 and 'WeatherEdge Academy,' I'm Meteorologist Erika Martin. Thank you for watching.