Burnett Students Bring News to Life with Buccaneer Brief

Burnett Junior High eighth-graders take the lead in producing The Buccaneer Brief, a student-produced video newscast that airs weekly. From filming and editing to anchoring and producing, these young journalists deliver a program that could rival the pros.

Five production teams, each made up of four students, rotate through assignments, creating segments that are later combined into a full newscast. Under the guidance of video production teacher Jared Alexander, the students learn every aspect of the production process.

At the start of the school year, Alexander introduced his students to Adobe Premiere Pro, the industry-standard video editing software used by professionals. Watch the Bucs shine in this week's episode of the Buccaneer Brief.

“To learn the software, I had them make a movie trailer out of stock video,” Alexander said. “They also learned how to animate text using Premiere Pro.”

Each Wednesday, students shoot the anchor portions of the broadcast, including the intro, sports, and closing segments. The production runs just like a real studio, complete with cameras, microphones, and a green screen backdrop.

Eighth-grader Ridge Garcia, who serves as cameraman for the second-period crew, landed his position because of his at-home work.

“I’m the cameraman because I have experience,” Garcia said. “I do it outside of school too, with my mom. She’s an influencer.”

Like any newscast, the Buccaneer Brief keeps students informed with the latest school news and updates. Sienna Wolf lends her voice to narrate the announcement slides prepared by teachers and staff.

Shahd Mohamed Salih joined the video production team because she heard it was both fun and hands-on.

“I want to learn more about editing,” Salih said. “It’s a great skill to know, and it’s really fun to do. We also do challenges sometimes, but usually we ask students simple questions like ‘Who is your celebrity crush?’ We’ve done challenges like filling someone else’s cup, too.”

Student anchor Sloane Green said her favorite role is reporting on sports.

“It’s kind of cool because you can choose which sport you want to speak for,” Green said.

After filming wraps, Thursday is dedicated to editing. The class works collaboratively to finalize the week’s episode.

“We discuss which clips should go where,” Alexander said. “It’s a great learning experience.”

On Fridays, Alexander sends out a link for the whole school to watch the Buccaneer Brief during Buc Bonus time.

Alexander, a former social studies teacher, said he discovered his passion for video during the pandemic.

“During COVID, I started messing around with Adobe,” he said. “I would experiment with green screens during remote meetings and really had fun with it. Ryan [Grounds], our former principal, asked me to teach the video classes, and I love it.”

By the end of the school year, Alexander hopes to take the Buccaneer Brief to the next level by producing a live broadcast streamed for the entire school.

“I love how this class brings out their confidence and creativity,” Alexander said. “There’s no other class that gives them the opportunity to express themselves and their creativity like this one does.”

Class projects like the Buccaneer Brief highlight how Wylie ISD’s video production and media tech classes empower students with hands-on learning experiences that build creativity, confidence, and collaboration. Whether these students pursue a career in film production, digital media, or another field entirely, they’re gaining valuable skills in communication, teamwork, and technology that prepare them for any path ahead. It’s opportunities like these that make us proud to be Wylie ISD, a district where every student has the chance to tell their story, learn through experience, and shine both in front of and behind the camera.