Rockford Students Want to Be Michigan’s Next Meteorologists, But They Need Our Help

Back in high school, my favorite classes weren’t the ones that involved long complicated equations or lengthy essays.

They were the ones that let me tell stories about my community. Newspaper class was where I found my people: the ones who loved chasing down the truth, asking questions, and learning how to turn everyday events into something worth sharing with our classmates.

That same spark is what powers Rockford High School’s broadcast journalism program and right now, they’re asking for the community’s help to take their newscasts to the next level.

The school’s award-winning program, Beyond the Rock (BTR), is hoping to raise $15,000 to add weather forecasting to its student-produced weekly newscast.

The funding would go toward professional weather equipment and the technology needed to help these young reporters grow into future meteorologists, journalists, and storytellers who might just save lives during a severe weather emergency one day.

Right now, BTR focuses on local news and sports coverage. But adding a weather segment could give students something even more valuable than airtime, a head start on their careers.

Getting hands-on experience like this in high school means saving time (and student loan money) later, or at the very least, getting the chance to try out a field before investing thousands into a degree you may not end up loving.

The program hopes to have their new weather system up and running by Christmas break, but they need help from the community to make it happen. Donations can be made through the Beyond the Rock website, and every dollar gets these passionate students one step closer to launching a new chapter in their storytelling journey.

And who knows, the next voice (or friendly face) warning us to take cover during a Michigan storm might just be one of these Rockford students, chasing their dreams and forecasting our future.