Lights, Camera, Action! A Brief Overview of STA Halo

Many people within the Aquinas community are familiar with the work done by Halo, but few truly know what it is about. Take an in depth look at the organization’s history and operation throughout the years.

Ethan Young, Reporter

A popular topic of conversation among students, parents, and faculty, the Halo broadcasting network has emerged as the primary source of news and entertainment for the Aquinas community. However, few people really know what Halo truly is or what it stands for beyond its daily morning show premiere in the classroom. 

Behind The Scenes
Behind the Scenes Josh Elliott, a senior executive producer, works hard behind the camera to produce the next episode of the Halo Morning Show. (Ethan Young)

For those new to the show, the first question that arises is, “What is Halo?” The Halo broadcasting network is Saint Thomas Aquinas’ student-led broadcasting group that serves as the school’s official media source for the community. The network first began in 2018, when a small group of students created a “morning show” in the Aquinas basement as a replacement for the everyday morning and afternoon announcements. This segment quickly became a favorite of students and faculty, increasing in popularity within the Aquinas community with every episode produced. In fact, it became so popular that it had its own studio built in the school’s journalism room, giving the team an actual space to work and create. Since then, Halo has expanded from more than just a morning show, creating content outside of the classroom like its Halloween mini-series, “Ghost Boys”, and even streaming sporting events live from the stadium. It’s safe to say that Halo has come a long way, and it’s only continuing to grow with more students getting involved as each year goes on. 

Live From the Stadium! Throughout the school year, Halo produces broadcasts for Aquinas sporting events. This is an example of one of the many graphics used to promote an upcoming live stream. Ethan Young

While most schools offer their own rendition of broadcasting, Halo is truly unique and different in how work is accomplished. The most important aspect to note is that all broadcasting is led and run by students, which means no teachers produce any content that the community sees each year. It is all simply brainstormed and put into action by students themselves, allowing them to collaborate and be creative with each other while learning important technical skills in the process. One of the most popular events among the Aquinas community is the weekly “Fri-Yay” segment done by Halo’s senior leaders. These seniors, dressed in gold jackets, bring excitement to the start of the weekend with their high energy and camaraderie during Friday’s morning show. It always seems to put students in the right mood and mindset to end their week at school in the best way possible. With all the opportunities Halo has to offer, it’s become a great way for new students to get involved at Aquinas. By joining the new zero-hour class or volunteering to anchor in the morning, students outside of the production team are allowed can play a part in what happens to the network during the school year. Every student is given the opportunity to lead the morning show as an anchor, getting the chance to witness what happens behind the scenes of an episode. Many students who have taken this chance are sure to recommend it to their peers and new students that enter Aquinas. 

Halo plays a huge role in the Aquinas community by giving students an outlet to be creative and serve their fellow students and faculty. Since its start in the basement, it’s grown into more than just a revamped morning announcement, truly becoming a network that caters to the different interests of the Aquinas community. Halo, along with its team, is continuing to grow each year as more and more students are beginning to get involved, making it just one of the many ways to embrace the moment during your high school experience at Saint Thomas Aquinas.