There's no shortage of smiles or poise on the set of WCHR-TV -- a sign that the on-camera talent at Our Lady of Sacred Heart High School in Moon is practicing what instructor Barbara Desman has been preaching.

"WCHR Talent," begins the course description at the Catholic school. "This course will train students to be broadcast news reporters, with instruction in journalistic writing as well as on-screen deportment."

What the description of the school's first-ever TV class doesn't mention is how to avoid breaking out in hives when, not if, the morning's news shows up late, incomplete or not at all.

Sara Smith, news manager and a cheerleader, is used to the spotlight and being cool under pressure. Good thing, too, because at some point during the term, the anchor-students can count on all three occurring.

"Every day it's very chaotic," said Sara, 16, a 10th-grader from Robinson. "[The students] don't know what goes on behind the scenes."

Such was the case on a recent morning, the second of back-to-back snow delays. As a result, periods were shaved down to about 27 minutes each. If that wasn't enough to turn the seven-minute morning newscast topsy-turvy, the school had an afternoon pep rally to cheer the girls' WPIAL playoff-bound basketball team.

"This morning we had a two-hour delay," she said, and "we had a couple announcements this morning that just came in and the printer didn't work."

But the show went on.

"It always comes together, though," Sara said. "Somehow it works out."

What to do? Technology gets tossed aside in favor of hand-scribbled notes, said Sara, who had already changed into her purple cheerleader uniform.

Staying one step ahead is part of the newscaster's skill set, Mrs. Desman agreed, so long as students realize that accuracy is the hallmark of effective communication.

To drive home that point, the WCHR course was added to the curriculum this year.

WCHR, a loose acronym for Chargers, the school mascot, has been seen in the school's classrooms for nearly 20 years. Appearing on the closed-circuit telecasts is still something students can do as part of a club activity, and about 15 sophomores, juniors and seniors do so.

But they are just readers, said Mrs. Desman, who wanted to give WCHR an academic foundation.

"It's about training the anchors in front of the camera to be broadcast journalists," she said, "what journalistic qualities are and how to do TV broadcasts."

Jona DeChellis, 16, a junior and the station assistant director, said, "I like this class because it gives me an opportunity to learn about the communication field." She's used to public speaking from her days at St. Malachy School, where she often was a reader for Mass.

One of the morning show's highlights, she said, is when there's a talk show special with a popular school athlete. "I think it's very helpful to interview sports teams players to make everyone aware of how far they've come."

Jona, of Kennedy, also is a student ambassador, a group that hosts visitors during open house, the school play and many other events. It's only natural she and the other anchors like their role in being seen as the "go-to" sources of school information.

Sarah Vincenti, 16, a sophomore from Robinson, "sees it as a vital first step. I like anchoring because I want to do it as career," she said.

So does Jacki Weaver, 16, of Hopewell, another 10th-grader.

"You get nervous, but it's exciting," she said, as she learns by trial and error to overcome her own version of stage fright. "When I get nervous, I talk too quickly. I'm learning to try and stay in control of everything I say."