Dolphin TV’s Zakia Aden is an All-Star Student

ST. CLOUD - Zakia Aden, a fifth grader a Discovery Elementary School in St. Cloud, starts off every school day by reading the Dolphin TV morning announcements.

Zakia Aden
(Photo: Joshua Akkerman, WJON)

"It's fun," she says, "We take turns. Sometimes I do the, I’m like on air, sometimes I do the camera." 

Discovery Elementary Principal Tammy Wilson helps run the Dolphin TV program.

"Dolphin TV is a way for students to get news and announcements every morning. It is filtered into the classroom so students are able to watch it on their smart boards," says Wilson.

Zakia, along with a group of other 5^th grade students, sets up and reads the announcements.

"Zakia was chosen to be on the school news because she is a leader," says Wilson, "This is a way to promote those leadership skills, and not only during the Dolphin News but in the classroom as well. She just shines in the school."

Cole Bacon is the Media Specialist at Discovery Elementary. He also helps out the students during Dolphin TV.

He says "She’s very excited. She’s a wonderful reader. She’s just got such enthusiasm. She’s wonderful to work with."

Zakia says participating in Dolphin TV is helping prepare her for the future.

It helps me like when I get older maybe that I want to like do speeches. It helps me get ready for that.

One of her favorite parts is using the microphone.

"She does get excited when she’s on the microphone," says Wilson, "She practices, rehearses, and she’s always prepared for doing the morning announcements. The students are so well equipped to do the announcements that they don’t really even need an adult at this point. They set up cameras, they practice their lines, and then they roll."

Bacon says, "I think it’s going to help them in the long run with their speaking skills, their writing skills. I think it’s just a wonderful opportunity for them, and it also shows them leadership, how to be a leader."