The school provides the lights and cameras and the students create the action when the Dartmouth High School media production class produces a weekly newscast.

The broadcast, which is called Dartmouth High News Now, provides the news of the school community, featuring interviews with students and staff that have stories to share. The program airs during the first period of the day and is also available on demand on YouTube.

Students spend a week organizing each broadcast under the direction of teacher Robert Perrotti. He works with students to develop their writing styles, working to hone clear, concise messages under tight deadlines. Every show is scripted and he reviews the script with them.

The students also learn the importance of balanced reporting. When students wanted to report on what they were hearing from friends about the lack of food choices for lunch, Perrotti reminded them that they needed to get the complete story.

With Perotti’s encouragement, they spoke to people from food services and learned that the same international supply chain issues creating shortages of everything from computer chips to coffee was impacting their daily meal selections.

“Don’t make a story lopsided,’’ he told them. “Cover all the bases.’’

Then there are the technical skills the students develop. Through their lessons, they have learned how to put scripts on teleprompters, create graphics, adjust lighting and how to edit taped interviews, among other skills.

The technical portions of the broadcast can be eye-opening. A basic weather report, for example, is far from simple to create.

Students film on a green screen with the actual content seen on a monitor and superimposed onto the screen.

So when students are actually filming, they have to remember that their “lefts and rights are backwards,’’ said Andrew Reed, the anchor on one of the teams.

“It’s one of the hardest things to do,’’ Perrotti said.

Working on the broadcast has been a learning experience, Reed said, who has learned to write scripts, work with a team, manage time wisely and discovered “how a show comes together.’’

Junior Sabrina Santiago said she is enjoying her media experience. “It’s interesting to learn new stuff,’’ she said.

Experience with media production at Dartmouth High helped Caden Lisa decide to study arts production at Emerson College, where he began classes this past fall.

The major lesson he learned was “how to be comfortable learning new stuff.” Treating others with respect and “being able to listen to others’’ are vital approaches for media creation, he said.

Lisa also said he loves “the creative aspect and being able to put my vision out into the world.’’

He urged current Dartmouth High students to give the program a shot.

“As a freshman, I knew little and now I’m at Emerson,’’ Lisa said. “Come in with a willingness to learn, and Mr. P will teach you everything you need to know.’’

The broadcasts can be viewed on the DHSTV YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/channel/UCWo__qJFnI7tUtuNpzGxixA.