This year’s crew of CMStv students received multiple accolades once again at the annual Student Television Network Convention at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Castaic Middle School’s team of future broadcasters brought home awards in seven of the eight middle school categories including the biggest award of the evening, the “Excellence Award” for Best Middle School Broadcast Program in the nation.

The Castaic Middle School Broadcast Program, CMStv, includes a 10 to 15 minute weekly news program modeled after CBS’s iconic news series, “60 Minutes”. Student producers are responsible for pitching their stories, videotaping, and all post-production work. Once complete, segments broadcast school-wide on CMStv every Friday.

CastaicMiddle School teacher Ro Osano, who developed and teaches the CMStv program, requires participating students to go through a rigorous application process. Each year he receives between 50 and 70 applications from which he selects only 20 to 25 students, all seventh and eighth graders. When Castaic’s students move on to high school in ninth grade, they are well-prepared for participation in the successful student broadcast programs at both West Ranch and ValenciaHigh Schools.

CMStv received awards in multiple categories this year with 4 honorable mentions for PSA, Spot Feature, Movie Trailer and Sweet 16 (where the entire team creates a show in 16 hours); 2 third place awards in the Commercial and Music Video categories; and finally the Excellence Award which is considered the highest acknowledgement at the convention.