For a few Mount View Middle School students, the beginning of the school day signals lights, camera and action.

"10 on 10," the school's morning announcement broadcast, shown on the school's closed-circuit Channel 10 for 10 minutes, is a full-scale television production, complete with scripts, students manning the cameras and more.

"Everybody works hard," program director Marie Pines, an eighth-grader, said as her fellow students prepared to go on air for their Sept. 12 broadcast.

Marie, along with a few other upperclassmen familiar with the process, have been helping gifted and talented resource teacher Shelley Stout put the program together, as this is Stout's first year at Mount View Middle School.

Each broadcast includes a set of hosts, as well as world/national/local news, sports, school news, and weather anchors.

About 32 students, divided into three broadcast crews that rotate monthly, are involved with the morning announcements. Participants had to apply for positions and were interviewed by morning announcement-experienced upperclassmen.

"We try to allow everyone who has the desire ... to do it," Stout said of student participation.

Stout, along with Richard Frankle, the school's computer specialist, and Joseph Duckworth, are the adults who work behind the scenes.

Frankle said MVMS started their telecasts in 1993, while parts of the rest of the county had put on shows since the mid-1980s.

All in all, teachers say planning for, coordinating and executing the school's morning broadcast will only be beneficial to the students in the end.

"It's giving them an opportunity for public speaking in a real- world setting," Stout said.

Previous telecasts are archived on the school's Web site and can be seen at www.mountviewmiddleschool.org/mvtv/.

* Running Brook Children's Nursery has openings for 4-year-old children in its 2008-2009 class. For more information, call Wendy Silver at 410-997-4662.

* Dunloggin Middle School in Ellicott City is selling engraved bricks to commemorate its 35-year anniversary.

The bricks are $35 and can have up to three lines, with 14 characters per line. They will be planted in the flagpole area in front of the school. Proceeds will go toward new choral risers and replacement desks.

For more information, call Lori Willoughby at 410-313-2831 or e-mail her at lori_willoughby@hcpss.org.

*THRIVE announces the L.E.A.N. (Lifestyle, Education, Activity, and Nutrition) program to help kids make better choices to live healthier lifestyles.

The program comprises eight weeks of highly participatory seminars taught by medical, nutritional, and fitness experts. Each session is 90 minutes. The program begins Oct. 1 and runs each Wednesday through Nov. 19.

The cost is $495 per family for the entire eight-week program.

Sessions are held at the THRIVE offices, 30 Corporate Center, 10440 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Suite 530, Columbia.

For additional information, call Dr. Rick Silver at 410-740-3240 or e-mail mythrive@mythrive.net.

* Elkridge Elementary School PTA Yard Sale will be held Sept. 27 from 8 a.m.-noon. Rain date Sept. 28. $20 for two parking spaces. Tables are not provided.

PTA sponsored book and bake table also available.

The school is at 7075 Montgomery Road, Elkridge.

Call Jeanne Nichols for more information at 410-796-2201 or e-mail my2grlz@verizon.net.

Send school-related items to School Days, Flier/Times, 10750 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia, MD 21044. Fax items to 410-997-4564 or e-mail mroshan@patuxent.com.

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