There’s a new weatherman in Farmville.

On Oct. 9, a Prince Edward County Middle School (PECMS) student made his television debut on Richmond’s WRIC 8News with meteorologist Matt DiNardo.

Sixth grader Ronny Carricato was chosen to present the weather to the 8News viewing audience during the station’s Good Morning Richmond segment. According to Ronny’s mom, Kennetta Carricato, “he loves weather.”

Ronny was selected through a KidCaster contest sponsored by the station.

“What we ask our viewers to do is to shoot a short piece of video about 10 to 20 seconds long of their children presenting the weather in their backyard, school, kitchen, it doesn’t matter where. In that short video, we would like the KidCasters to talk about the weather forecast,” said Meteorologist Matt DiNardo.

He said viewers then upload the videos to a link on 8News’s website. “We will show all of the videos that we receive on Good Morning Richmond Monday to Thursday.  Friday is the special day where we arrange for one of those children to come in to the WRIC studios and be on Good Morning Richmond live from 6:30-7 a.m.,” he said.

According to Carricato, Ronny’s home video was featured on Sept. 21 during the morning show. It wasn’t long before she received an email asking if Ronny would be available to come in the studio to do a live taping.

“I was just off the wall excited for him,” said Carricato. She said Ronny has been doing the school news since he was in fourth grade and is currently a member of the PECMS broadcast team.

“In doing this we have had a chance to make some dreams possible,” said DiNardo.

“Take Ronny Carricato, from Farmville. He loves weather. It’s a passion for him. He was in his glory to be able to present it on TV. To watch him smile and live out his dream brought smiles to our faces in the studio,” he said. 

DiNardo said that during the half-hour segment the KidCaster is given the opportunity to open the show.

The staff has a chance to learn a little more about the individual and they close the segment with the KidCaster presenting the weather. During his weather segment on 8 News, Ronny said he felt “proud and professional.”

“These children have a smile on their face from ear to ear and that is truly wonderful,” DiNardo said.

“The half hour goes by very fast. The 8 News KidCaster gets a very special KidCaster shirt that we had made up for this and I then clip all of the actual on-air moments for the parents and send it to them through a link, so they can download them and have that moment forever,” he said.