The Bucks News Network
A typical day in the Bucks News Network (BNN) classroom is far from what you’d see in a traditional classroom. Students might be working independently on computers, editing a story with a peer, or discussing events happening in and outside of school. You may even find students updating BNN’s social media page on their phones. The BNN classroom lacks a rigid agenda, allowing students to work collaboratively or individually on a variety of assignments.
What makes BNN truly unique is the autonomy students have over their work, with teachers supporting the student-driven content. For example, students can choose their preferred storytelling format—whether it’s podcasting, video news packages, or short written pieces. They also select their own news topics and have the freedom to leave the classroom to film B-roll or conduct interviews. The work is not just confined to the classroom; students use personal time on weekends and after school to capture the news. In fact, in the 2023-2024 school year, the Editor in Chief, Owen Murray, traveled to Wisconsin to report on the World Dairy Expo.
Another distinctive feature of BNN is its structure, which allows students who have taken the course multiple times to serve in advisory roles. This approach encourages student-led discussions, problem-solving opportunities, and peer mentorship for those new to the class.
Unlike most classrooms, the BNN room is equipped with a wide range of advanced technology. Blue Mountain Union School has made significant investments in the program, including cameras for video and photography, microphones, a green screen, a teleprompter, live-streaming equipment, and multiple Macs for editing.
The history of the class is as unique as the class itself. Bucks In The News was created by former BMU teacher Tracy Puffer in the 2011-2012 school year; later the name was changed to The Bucks News Network. The class originated as a student-authored newsletter and has evolved into a student-run internet news organization, allowing students to highlight their creative writing and filming skills.
“It started out as a way to share the news of what was going on in Blue Mountain with the members of our community,” said Puffer. She goes on to explain that at this time, the students wrote and published six-page monthly newsletters that were mailed to the local community.
What started as a paper newsletter has flourished under the supervision of BMU History Teacher Neil Emerson into a robust online news site. Puffer commented: “I had no doubt the class would continue. I had every faith in Mr. Emerson that he would be able to continue the program and do a fabulous job…” Mr. Emerson has run BNN since 2018. He has added to the class tremendously, turning it from Bucks In The News to the Bucks News Network. Emerson shares: “The content of the course has changed a great deal over the years. This is partially due to the fact that we have tried to make BNN a student-directed news site. In the 2022-23 school year, we had a number of students interested in podcasting . . . Last year, we had a number of students interested in sports writing and sports broadcasting. . . What stays consistent is that the course hopes to teach communication skills that will be useful throughout the students' lives.”
Electronic Journalism also gives students an outlet to have fun with their English and technology credits that are required to graduate. View the latest work of the Blue mountain student journalist at; https://bucksnewsbnn.org
In Wells River Vermont, Jacob Roberts is currently an 8th grader at Barnet school. On Monday, March 20th, 2023 he shadowed a current freshman at BMU because he hopes to attend Blue Mountain next fall.
In Wells River Vermont, BMU junior Brody Kingsbury works on one his first news packages in Mr. Emerson’s class, on September 22, 2022
