A TV news broadcast produced by Priceville High School Bulldogs Broadcasting in partnership with WHNT-TV, Channel 48, was used to underscore the state of education in the Morgan County School System at a breakfast meeting November 3.
| Clif Knight

Clif Knight

Hartselle Enquirer

A TV news broadcast produced by Priceville High School Bulldogs Broadcasting in partnership with WHNT-TV, Channel 48, was used to underscore the state of education in the Morgan County School System at a breakfast meeting November 3.

The meeting, sponsored by the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce, was held at Burningtree Country Club. It was attended by about 150 Morgan County School Board members, central office personnel, administrators, elected officials and local business representatives.

Priceville High School students Caleb Martin and Emma Hopkins anchored the news broadcast. They introduced and summarized three topics that make education in the county system stand out above other systems.

First, students are allowed to bring their own handheld electronic devices to class, where they are used as an educational tool.

Second, the STAR Program offers special needs students the opportunity to learn on-the-job skills at retail businesses with the help of job coaches.

The Mech Tech Program invites participation from all five county high schools. Robots are designed and built at Brewer High School, after which they are entered into regional and national competitions.

Faculty and students were featured on camera as they added testimonials on how they benefit from the three-featured programs.

Adding humor to the broadcast was a segment that featured Dr, Travis Taylor experimenting with a tornado machine for a group of students inside a gymnasium.

Superintendent Bill Hopkins Jr. spoke briefly on the three foundations of education – academics, relationships  and leadership – before turning the program over to students.

“Academics is universal and relationships are essential to learning,” Hopkins pointed out.We give our students every possible opportunity to develop leadership skills.

“If you are a student, you will be able to excel,” he added. “Morgan County Schools are not about the buildings, they are about the students that walk the halls.”

Hopkins thanked board members, administrators, elected officials and business representative for their attendance and support.

He was introduced by his wife, Shannon, who produced a photo on screen of Hopkins when he was a grade school student. At that time he had a mop of light blond hair.

Other students on the program were: Haley Mills, Falkville High School, invocation; Jamie Kimbrough, Brewer High School, Pledge of Allegiance; and Alaina Wiley, Danville High School, national anthem.