Announcers at Dalefield School’s 107.5 DFM Jamie Pedersen,13, and Zane Buchanan, 10. PHOTOS MAZZ SCANNELL
Fundraising team keeps station on air
MAZZ SCANNELL
The first live broadcast from pupil radio station 107.5 DFM streamed worldwide on Friday from a small room at Dalefield School.
The radio team of 17 pupils covers all the positions of a typical radio station, including office managers, announcers and publicity officers, operating under the watchful eye of school staff and retired teacher and pupil radio enthusiast Clint Chalmers.
The first guest on the show on Friday was Carterton Mayor John Booth, who officially opened the station. He charmed the children and surprised them with his favourite music.
“He liked Bridge Over Troubled Waters and anything by Guns n’ Roses,” Noah Fisher,12, said.
Both the song and band selection were familiar to the radio team because they had been practising playing what they described as “Dad music”, on their station for the past three weeks.
Selecting child-appropriate music was important, Chalmers said, given many modern songs contained swear words.
Later, the pupils will choose their own music and select tracks that do not contain swear words – “Checking content is part of their job.”
There is also a dedicated fundraising team which raises funds for the streaming licence by holding weekly sausage sizzles at lunch time.
Connor Davis, 10, was very proud to be involved in the fundraising arm of the project.
“It’s a special opportunity for us.
“We are the only school who does this. Carterton and St Mary’s don’t have a radio station and we are a country school.”
Principal Eric Daube said the opportunity to run a pupil radio station was part of his vision for the school
He wants the children to be familiar with different types of communication, make decisions, work with others in a collaborative environment, and develop life skills.
“The radio station is an opportunity for them to all learn these skills and own it.”
