When Randolph High skates against Morristown’s hockey champs this season, Emma Spagnuolo will have to make a choice.
Will she cheer for the boys from Randolph, where she is a senior … or for Morristown High, which has adopted her as a deejay at its radio station, WJSV-FM?
“It’s going to be so hard during hockey season!” was all Emma would venture on that subject, as she settled behind the WJSV microphone to read the news on a recent Tuesday.
She will park behind that mic in Morristown once a week this semester, after her classes in Randolph. She hopes this independent study project will prepare her for college radio, en route to a broadcasting career.
“I’m hoping to really understand how to work the [sound] board, become more comfortable on the air, and develop my personality,” Emma said.
Hooked on radio since the sixth grade — she’s a big fan of the Elvis Duran show — Emma knew she wanted to pursue a broadcasting career after visiting Q104.3 FM in New York last year. A neighbor, who hired her to babysit his kids, works at the station and gave her a tour.
Emma searched for a local station where she could hone her skills. She is impressed by the studio at WJSV, the only area high school station she found. WJSV celebrated its 40th anniversary at Morristown High in 2011.
Her journalism teacher in Randolph, Jon Zlock (also a talented singer-songwriter) worked out the details with MHS broadcasting teacher Michael Butler, who got Principal Mark Manning’s blessing to bring Emma aboard in Morristown.
“It says a lot about the school, and the legacy of WJSV, that she knew us and thought to call us,” said Butler. “We’re glad to have her here.”
The only downside so far is that the station’s signal does not reach Emma’s home in Randolph. Within the next few weeks, however, look for WJSV online — which is where Emma expects her career to take her. Streaming sites such as Pandora, iHeartRadio, Last.FM and Spotify are where growing numbers of her peers consume their music.
When she’s not doing rip-and-reads in Morristown, Emma serves as the “Voice of RHS,” reading her school’s announcements over the intercom each morning. She’s also social editor for the Ram-Page, her school newspaper, and runs its Twitter site.
A waitress job at a pizzeria ended her field hockey career, but she finds time to cheer for the New Jersey Devils and undertake activities at St. Matthew’s parish in Randolph.
Next fall she aims to study broadcasting and journalism at Quinnipiac University or Seton Hall.
Although the Rams and the Colonials are arch-rivals on rinks and football fields, Emma said her classmates were excited about her radio opportunity in Morristown. Her hosts seem to share that enthusiasm — even when Emma wears her RHS sweatshirt into the studio.
“The more the merrier,” said Morristown sophomore Steven Blenner, prior to delivering a wintry forecast to WJSV listeners.
Sophomore Joanna Duwel also is happy to share her microphone.
“Some might find it weird because the two schools are rivals,” she said. “But the station is like a family. We will accept anyone who comes here.”
