Students to Broadcast from Penn Relays

Six young students will be journeying to Pennsylvania, in the United States, for the upcoming Penn Relays, to join forces with KiDz HuB media and KidStar radio networks, to showcase their skills as broadcasters.

This was announced by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Team Jamaica Bickle, Irwin Clare Snr., at a reception at the Alhambra Inn, in Kingston, on April 2, put on by Team Jamaica Bickle, a registered athletics support charity group of volunteers.

The group was formed in the United States to give support to student athletes from Jamaica and the Caribbean, who participate in the Penn Relays.

The six students, who are from three Corporate Area schools – St. Theresa Preparatory, Allman Town Primary and Campion College – have been receiving training in broadcasting techniques from KiDz HuB media, which has set up training facilities at the Allman Town Primary School.

“They will be reporting their version of the Penn relays on those networks.  This is global.  A whole lot of my Caucasian friends will be listening to them on the Kidz network. These kids are being trained to interview and bring the message back home on the Penn Relays. They are our future; this is what we call brand Jamaica, thinking outside the box and creating opportunities for our youngsters,” Mr. Clare said.

Local mentoring was provided by seasoned broadcasters, Donald Oliver, Sports caster and producer at CVM Television; and Arnold Kelly, veteran broadcaster at NCU Radio.

Two of the selected junior broadcasters, 11-year old Inzingah McCarthy of Allman Town Primary and 13-year old Joshua Dillon of Campion College told JIS News that they were delighted to be chosen as junior broadcasters and were eager, not only to travel to Pennsylvania to view the Penn relays, but also to broadcast and interview athletes.

“I’m very elated and I just can’t wait. It will be my first time out of the country,” Inzingah said.                                                                

For his part, Joshua said it was a great opportunity for young people to see what broadcasting and media are all about.

“I’d like to experience all the hype about how cold Pennsylvania is, the people, new faces, and how their technology differs from ours. I think it’s going to be a great experience,” he said.

Arrangements have also been put in place to ensure that the junior broadcasters will have full access to the athletes at the relays and at the team hotel, where a media room will be set up.

Mr. Clare pointed out that the collaboration was part of Team Jamaica Bickle’s larger mission to support programmes that provide pathways for excellence and development for young people.

KiDz HuB currently has 28 stations in operation in the United States with a waiting list of over 1,500 schools and clubs across the country.   During the daytime hours, KiDz HuB radio offers a variety of programmes produced and presented by children, including news, sports, entertainment, weather and community announcements.

By O. Rodger Hutchinson, JIS PRO