Real student voices. Big feels. Zero cringe.

If you’ve been scrolling and seeing the “microphone in the hallway” trend (sometimes called “Mic’d Up” or “Hallway Interviews”) and thinking…

“Okay… but would this work at my school?”

I’m telling you: YES, it would!

This is one of those rare content ideas that is:

✔ Easy to set up

✔ Fun to film

✔ Absolutely packed with authenticity

✔ Nearly guaranteed to get families to stop scrolling (and maybe tear up a little)

I recently did a podcast interview with Adam Marcum, Communications Coordinator at Monroe Local Schools in Ohio. This is the school district that went globally viral with a hallway mic video! 

I’m not kidding. The Today Show called Adam the Monday after it posted!

Go watch the video for yourself and then come back to learn exactly how to recreate it for your district: 

Just read some of these comments on the original post: 

“My mom heart is so full! This is the sweetest and most wholesome thing I’ve seen in a long time! These kids were so genuinely happy to answer the question. Gosh! I love this!🥹”

“This just wiped away any doubts I’ve been having about majoring in education & becoming a teacher. I can’t wait to be the teacher my students look forward to seeing.”

“This made me cry. The first kid found happiness in the simplicity.”

Why Does This Trend Work SO Well for Schools?

The answer is simple: It’s not “content.” It’s community.

It’s student voice without a script. It’s real joy. Real wins. Real honesty. It’s also a sweet reminder that today’s kids are thoughtful humans… not just walking hoodies with AirPods. 😉

Adam said he focused intentionally on student voice this year – and this hallway mic format made it easy for students to share in their own words, in their own way, on their own terms.

He originally got the idea from watching a college video, back in spring 2025. He wanted to jump in to do it, but was worried that with the end of the school year, the answers might be too focused on graduating or making it to summer vacation. But as you saw in the video, his patience paid off, and the content was gold. 

Check out the news coverage: 

• TODAY.com 
• ABC World News Tonight 
• NBC Nightly News 
• One of Adam’s favorites: A local music radio station!

Ready to learn exactly how he did it, why it worked, and how any school can “admire and acquire” the idea? You don’t need fancy gear or a video production team. Here are the 10 easy steps!

Step-by-Step: How to Film Your Own Hallway Mic Video

Step 1: Pick ONE Question that Invites a Genuine Answer

Your prompt will make or break this project. You want something that gets more than a one-word response, yet is still simple enough for a kid to answer “off the cuff.”

Tried-and-True Prompt Ideas

1. “Tell us something good that happened today.”
2. “What’s one win you had this week?”
3. “Who deserves a shoutout today and why?”
4. “What do you love most about our school?”
5. “What are you thankful for?”
6. “What do you do on a snow day?” (bank this one ahead of time so you can post on a school closure day!)

Pro tip: Adam added “(or recently)” after his question “Tell me something good that happened today” because it was 9:00 a.m. on a Monday and… let’s be honest… not everyone has a “highlight” before second period.

Elementary School Prompts

1. “What made you smile today?”
2. “What’s your favorite part of school?”
3. “Who is someone at school who helps you?”
4. “What is something you’re proud of?”
5. “What is your favorite thing to learn about?”
6. “What do you love about your teacher?”
7. “What’s something fun you did today?”
8. “If you could tell your family one thing about today, what would it be?”

Step 2: Choose a Busy Location (But Not TOO Busy)

Adam filmed in a high school hallway during passing time, because he wanted the authentic energy and vibe of school life.

But he also had to consider how to capture the moment without accidentally featuring 73 kids in the background who didn’t sign up for this. His solution? 

1. Focus the shot tightly on the student speaking
2. Slightly blur the background
3. Keep the camera framed so passersby aren’t clearly identifiable

Brilliant! 

Also, if you’re using a phone, stand closer to the student and let your camera’s autofocus do the heavy lifting.

You might be tempted to pick a quieter location, but this loses the inviting nature where anyone can step up to the microphone and share. You want all students to speak if they have something to say! Hiding in a room will require you to invite people in, and your participation likely won’t be as high.

Step 3: Light Promotion Helps… But Don’t Overdo It

Adam tried to give students a heads-up using Instagram Stories and having a student club spread the word. But he realized quickly that a lot of students didn’t see it! After all, they can’t have cell phones in their school.

But that helped the results, in the end. The responses remained spontaneous, and students weren’t rehearsing answers like they were auditioning for Broadway.

Step 4: Keep the Signage SIMPLE

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You do not need a big sign, backdrop, or complicated station. Adam simply typed “Tell us something good that happened today (or recently)” in a large font, and printed it on regular printer paper. Simple wins!

Step 5: Good Audio is Key

You can have “OK” video. But if your audio is trash, people will scroll by.

Here’s how Adam ensured that he’d get good audio: 

• A decorative handheld mic (looks real)
• A wireless mini mic hidden inside it  – Adam uses the DJI Mic (First Gen)
• A mic stand borrowed from the theater department

The decorative mic cost him about $12–$19 on Amazon. He calls it one of his favorite purchases ever, because it looks professional and makes the whole project feel legit. Click here to order your own! 

Key takeaway: The mic is a prop – the real audio comes from the mini mic.

Step 6: Record in Small Chunks (Not One Giant File)

Adam didn’t just hit record and let it run forever. He hit “record” during passing time and lunch, and stopped the mic in between. 

This keeps file sizes manageable, makes editing easier, and lowers the risk of losing everything if something goes wrong.

Also: Don’t panic if it’s slow at first!

Adam said the first 45 minutes were quiet… and then one brave student asked what it was… and the rest followed.

That’s how school hallways work. One kid goes first. The rest think, “Wait… that’s kinda cool.”

Step 7: Build Trust and Protect Kids

Adam said part of the reason students participated was that they trusted him. They’ve seen his work and know he won’t embarrass them.

And when a student shared something emotional, he even asked: “Are you okay with us sharing that?” to make sure they were OK with this being posted. 

Quick tip: Ask students to say their name at the end so you can quickly check media permissions.

Step 8: Edit Quickly (CapCut or Canva Work Well)

Adam edits using CapCut on his computer and enables auto captions. He pays for the pro version and says it’s worth every penny.

Other schools edit in Canva or even directly in Instagram. It doesn’t matter what program you use; just pick the one you are most comfortable with.

Editing checklist:

• Start with a title screen (“Mic’d Up at ____”)
• Keep clips short
• Add captions (and proofread them!)
• Include a variety of answers (funny + heartfelt)
• End with a simple closer, such as “Thanks for sharing your good things!”

Step 9: Post It!

Keep your caption short and sweet and let the content speak for itself. Here’s what Adam wrote: 

“Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.”

This November, we’re practicing gratitude with a little help from our students and Hornets for Hope.

Adam posted the final video on a Friday night, on both Instagram and Facebook. The traction began locally and then kept growing, leading to that Monday morning Today Show phone call!

He advises that when something is gaining traction, you have to be ready to move quickly. News cycles don’t wait. Even if you don’t go viral (and you don’t need to), this style of content almost always performs well because it feels REAL.

Step 10: Rinse and Repeat (But Not Too Often)

If you do this every week, it gets stale! Adam recommends keeping the format but changing the question. Set up your mic every 4-6 weeks. Great “repeat” ideas include: 

• Teacher appreciation: “Tell us about a teacher who made a difference.”
• Shoutout day: “Who deserves a shoutout today?”
• School pride: “What do you love most about our school?”

Real Hallway Mic Examples From Other Schools

Want to see how other communicators are leveraging this trend for authentic content? Here are a few shared by your fellow school storytellers!

Mahtomedi Public Schools, MN

Alice Seuffert asked middle schoolers, “What are you thankful for?” Check out how she kept this video under one minute while still using 19 clips!

She also did one for staff, with the prompt: “Describe our community in one word.”

Alice used a decorative mic, like Adam, and clipped a mini mic to the back. She edited her video in Canva. 

Ozark School District, MO

Amelia Wigton prompted staff: “What are you thankful for?” to create this compilation video:

She started with staff to test the concept, using the space outside her office door. Amelia shared that the toughest part was deciding what to use and what to skip!

Clinton School District, MO

Angie G. Lawson asked students, “Tell us something good that happened this week!” and loved the results: 

Angie shared: “I was a little nervous that the students might think it was ‘lame,’ but they caught on quickly, and the stories they shared were just perfect!”

Deerfield-Windsor School, GA

Here’s another “Tell me something good” video from a school in Georgia:

School District of Onalaska, WI

And this school in Wisconsin asked, “What are you thankful for today?”:

Final Reminder

Friend, you don’t need to go viral to make this project worth it.

If this video makes one parent smile, one teacher comment “I needed this today,” or one student feel seen…

That’s the win. That’s what makes it all worthwhile!💜

And if you try it, tag me or message me — I want to cheer you on and share your school’s wins!!