Owensboro High School Student Makes Fun Appearance on Local Morning Radio Show
Robert Goatee has been a star student this year at Owensboro High School. Students in the Highly Structured Unit at OHS have been working hard to earn 'dojo' points. Students in that particular class fall on the autism spectrum and those points are awarded for good behavior throughout the school day. Given that Robert has amassed over 2500 points, I think it's safe to say that he's been an exemplary student. While his fellow classmates have been trading their points in for snacks and other rewards, he's been banking his points, which he's earned for "paying attention, working hard and helping others." However, he recently decided to cash them in for some really cool opportunities.
Robert's teachers at school reached out to WBKR and let me know that Robert has "a great announcement" voice. In fact, when he reached 2000 dojo points, Jennifer Luttrell, the principal at OHS, invited Robert to help out with the school announcements. He led the Pledge of Allegiance and he got the honor of announcing the Winter Homecoming. When he reached the 2500 mark, Robert got the opportunity to trade in his audience of hundreds for an audience of thousands.
Here at The Country Station, 92.5 WBKR, we were thrilled to get the opportunity to invite Robert to the station to be a part of our morning show for the day. When Stephanie Smith reached out, she simply asked if we would agree to give Robert a "little peek around." I said, "We'll do even better than that! We will have him be a guest DJ with us."
According to Robert's mom Randi, this is something that she's wanted for him for a long time. He's certainly been practicing for it. Randi says Robert practices his announcer voice all the time. She adds, "He's weirdly shy about it around us, but since his little sister was born he's been more open to practicing for her. She adores him."
So, Tuesday morning, we all got the chance to adore Robert too. His teacher, Sarah Polivick (Mrs. P), brought the 16-year-old Owensboro High School sophomore with the big "announcement voice" to join Mary-Katherine and me on the morning show and he was fantastic! He joined us for Robbie Lee's Country Music Round Up, he gave a shout out to Poole's Pharmacy Care (our morning show sponsor) and, like he did over the intercom at school, he recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Connie Morgan, a former teacher of mine, was tuned in and she was impressed. She sent me a message that read, "Just listened to you on the radio with Robert. He did great!" She's right! Today, the high school kid with the great "announcement voice" officially became an announcer.
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Gallery Credit: Dave Spencer