Thursday, October 1, 2026
For most fourth- and fifth-graders, recess means kickball or the playground.
For members of Team ORCHID at Plaza Elementary School, it means grabbing notebooks, brainstorming interview questions and preparing for their next assignment.
Whether they're interviewing district Superintendent Anthony Mignella, documenting Baldwin’s aviation history or producing digital news packages, the students are learning many of the same skills professional reporters use every day. The club has grown from a school newspaper into a multimedia newsroom where students research, conduct interviews, collaborate on stories and are preparing to launch podcasts.
Beyond teaching writing and public speaking, Team ORCHID — which stands for Outstanding Reporters Can Have Informative Dialogue — introduces students to the fundamentals of journalism — asking thoughtful questions, verifying information, listening carefully and telling stories that preserve Baldwin’s history, highlight school achievements and connect classmates with their community.
“Before, when they started, it was just writing, and now it’s becoming digital,” facilitator Toni-Ann Barone, a reading teacher at Plaza, said. “We’re going to be incorporating podcasting equipment.”
That recently purchased equipment will give students the chance to expand into audio storytelling for the first time. Technology specialist Michele Kourie also helps students produce multimedia stories using digital platforms, including Canva and WeVideo, as the club prepares to launch podcasts.
Founded in 2012, Team ORCHID has been part of Plaza for roughly 14 years. Principal Mark Gray created the program as an anti-bullying initiative designed to highlight positive stories throughout the school. Today, Barone, Sherri Fackler and Victoria Mahon serve as the club’s facilitators as it continues to evolve alongside the changing media landscape.
Since participation began being tracked in 2014, more than 465 fourth- and fifth- graders have taken part in Team ORCHID, producing more than 250 digital stories.
As the program has expanded, so has its reporting. Students have interviewed Plaza Graduates Greg Van Roten, an NFL offensive lineman, and former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, as well as district leaders and community members while exploring Baldwin’s history through projects focused on local landmarks and the school’s legacy.
What once centered primarily on classroom activities and school events has grown into in-depth reporting. Today, students create video presentations, produce multimedia stories and venture into the community to tell stories beyond the school's walls.
Recent projects have included interviews with Mignella during his first year leading the district, profiles of Plaza alumni who went on to professional sports careers, and videos highlighting kindness, school traditions and community landmarks.
The team’s latest project took reporters to Hands to Wellness, a Baldwin wellness center that once operated as the Pilot Shop, a supply store for aviators that became a gathering place for pilots connected to Baldwin’s aviation history. Students interviewed the daughters of the Pilot Shop owner, documented artifacts preserved in the building and learned about the signatures of Tuskegee Airmen displayed on one of its walls. They turned their reporting into a multimedia presentation with narration, photos and video.
The project also connected students to Plaza's own history. The school sits on the former airfield where the Heinrich brothers tested early aircraft models. It was one of the club's first off-campus reporting assignments.
Like professional journalists, Team ORCHID members begin with a story “pitch” before researching their topic, developing interview questions, conducting interviews, verifying information, writing scripts and revising their work. They also learn to divide responsibilities, meet deadlines, accept feedback from advisers Barone, Fackler and Mahon, and collaborate before publication.
"Our stories are so good, and they're so in-depth," Barone said. "It's more like quality over quantity."
Beyond journalism, Team ORCHID has become a place where students build confidence. Several members said they joined after not being selected for Student Council, while others discovered they enjoyed writing more than public speaking. Interviewing community members and appearing on camera has helped many become more comfortable expressing themselves.
"I feel better talking in front of cameras now," student reporter Julian said.
Student reporter Hayden said the experience has inspired him to continue writing after elementary school. "If there's any writing clubs when we go to middle school, maybe I could try out for that," he said.
That enthusiasm is exactly what advisers hope to cultivate, encouraging students to continue writing through Baldwin Middle School's pre-academy offerings and eventually the high school’s media academy.
Each year students apply to join the club by submitting a writing sample. Members give up recess to work on stories, and often complete research or writing assignments at home before returning to school to edit and collaborate with teammates. The club has become so popular that not every applicant is accepted.
Student reporters wear press badges while conducting interviews, reinforcing the feeling that they are part of a professional newsroom. During a recent visit by the Herald, they interviewed this reporter, asking about everything from developing story ideas to covering crime, working with editors and pursuing careers in journalism.
The questions reflected the curiosity that has become the hallmark of club members. "They came up with some great questions," Barone said. "Of course, we guide them, but it's mostly their questions."
