Students Take the Lead With Broadcasting and New Media
With a variety of media channels for sharing news or engaging with content, legacy media (i.e. print, broadcast television, and radio) appear to be waning, especially with younger audiences, while the usage of new media are on the rise. Schools today are responding with a variety of student-run broadcasting and media programs that prepare students for a digital future.
Students are gaining not only first-hand experiences with the technical aspects of running the show, but also developing many of the desirable durable skills that come from hands-on learning experiences: collaboration and flexibility, analytical thinking and problem solving, leadership and motivation, confidence, and creativity.
Athens Academy, Jackson Academy, Franklin Road Academy, and The Mount Vernon School have created dynamic, student-led media programs that not only enhance their school communities, but also prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
The First of Its Kind – Athens Academy, Athens, GA
Athens Academy attests it was the first school in the country to produce a student-led webcast. In the late ‘90s, Mike Callinan, then-robotics teacher and video production coordinator at the school, took a class on computing and began sharing that knowledge with his students. With assistance from a parent connected with the University of Georgia’s New Media Institute, Athens Academy launched its first webcast of a football game.
In the intervening years, the program at Athens Academy has evolved dramatically and is now led by Ryder Crosby after Callinan’s retirement. The school offers an introductory middle school media production course, where students learn the basics by creating a weekly news update. In upper school, the Advanced Media Production course teaches students advanced editing and filming techniques. Students create most of the content that is used by the school for advertisement, fundraising, and the media used on webcasts.
Students – typically a core group interested in pursuing careers in broadcasting – are responsible for equipment set up and take down, graphics, production, camera operation that includes multiple camera angles, on-air talent, sideline reporting, in-game public service announcements, and interviews. Students build computers and other equipment behind the scenes, and, for home football games, students pull replays from the webcast for display on the stadium’s video board.
The challenges of launching and maintaining a broadcasting program are primarily technology-related. Athens Academy – which serves nearly 890 students in grades K3-12 – was an early adopter of web streaming, introducing a new platform that was unfamiliar to most people at the time. Then, as now, procuring equipment (and the associated financial commitment) and staying abreast of rapidly changing technology are ever-present challenges.
For Athens Academy, the effort is worth it. The broadcasting program provides great exposure for the school’s athletic teams. Alumni, parents, and the community-at-large enjoy following the teams online, extending the Spartan community beyond the campus.
Most importantly, the program provides yet another avenue to support students’ interests and help students develop their talents. Some graduates have gone on to pursue broadcasting at the collegiate level and beyond. Kevin Petroski, athletic director for Athens Academy, stresses that the school’s mission supports the development and creation of new programs and offerings. “If a student is passionate about something, and we can make it a reality, we will do our best to provide a quality educational experience for all involved,” Petroski shares.
From Radio to Raider Network – Jackson Academy, Jackson, MS
“When we first started, everything was still radio,” says Eddie Wettach, associate head of school for operations at Jackson Academy, which serves 1,230 students in grades K2-12. Even when radio dominated, Jackson Academy was already looking ahead to what could be next. The shift began around 2012 with a single-camera live production of sporting events. The school slowly expanded each year, and, by 2015, staff and students were experimenting with multiple cameras and replay, all while wistfully dreaming of the day they could broadcast from a remote trailer. Things fell into place, and those dreams became reality when Jackson Academy purchased a used broadcast truck that the school quickly outfitted with all the equipment needed for game day production.
With the advent of the Raider Network video broadcasting program, Jackson Academy created a custom website to house the archives of years of game footage. This launched a subscription service through Raider Network on-demand, which helped fund the transition from radio to video broadcasting. The program and on-demand service has been so successful that Jackson Academy created a separate version, Spin Video, for other schools to use. And, the Jackson Academy broadcasting program has expanded beyond sports to cover all live events on campus, including performing arts productions that are also archived on the Raider Network.
With the expenses of running a broadcasting program, the staff sponsors of the Raider Network – which includes Wettach alongside Josh Hinkle, associate director of operations and technology, and Bryan Eubank, sports information director – are proud that the program is not only self-funded, but also generates revenue for the school. The three main sources of revenue are sponsorships; Raider Network on-demand sales for DVDs, purchases, and passes; and outside contracts such as streaming state championship games or working with a local cell phone provider.
Students at Jackson Academy gain first-hand experience not only filming on campus and at away games, but also working some SEC Network games. “We had, I believe, the first high schooler to work on an SEC Network broadcast when he was in school here,” says Wettach. “They needed a replay operator, [and we asked if we could] send a high schooler. He did great, and he’s continuing to work with them today now that he’s in college.”
While some students participate in the Raider Network through the school’s broadcasting class, many join and learn on the job after making a commitment to be available for at least 40% of the school’s events. Scheduling is handled through the crew scheduling site, SwitchCrew, created by Jackson Academy in-house and used by colleges and other organizations. Jackson Academy students are paid for their work and learn how to be responsible and professional, preparing them for future careers in any field. The level of quality work being produced by students at Jackson Academy has not gone unnoticed, as students won the “Best Live Event” award at the Southeast Regional Student Production Awards for outstanding coverage of a junior high football game.
“We have a lot of students that are involved in the program. We like to give opportunities to as many students as we can here,” shares Wettach. “We do tend to find that there’s a set of students …[who] really find a niche here. I think about some of the kids that have done play-by-play, which is by far the most challenging position to do. Some of the kids just really excel and find a new passion. So it’s just kind of the overall mission of inspiring and equipping each student.”
Growing Organically As Students Lead the Way – Franklin Road Academy, Nashville, TN
For Franklin Road Academy class of 2024 graduate Cannon Tyner, joining the school’s broadcast journalism class, led by Lisa Zenner, turned out to be one of his most significant high school experiences. “Maybe Mrs. Zenner saw something I didn’t,” Tyner shares of the moment Zenner asked him to announce the home-opening football game. “I’m grateful [to her] for seeing potential I hadn’t even considered. After 10 years of playing football, sports broadcasting offered a fresh perspective on the sport I loved.”
Zenner’s passion for broadcasting stems from her previous experience as on-air talent, where she worked in the field for a decade. She transitioned to FRA, which serves 1,105 students in grades PK-12, and shares it’s her dream to introduce broadcasting and digital media opportunities to students such as Tyner. “Opportunities are limitless here, and it’s so fun, and it’s constantly changing, and I’m just really proud that FRA has helped me be able to live out my dream and teach what I love,” she says.
Through the three courses offered at FRA – Broadcast 1, Broadcast 2, and Sports Broadcasting – Zenner supports students and their ideas. Students exercise their creativity by writing skits to share the news, which has become a beloved weekly school tradition. Students are also given a great deal of freedom, built on trust, such as no delay on live broadcasts.
Ryan Harris, assistant head of school for external affairs, shares, “For us it’s not about guiding every step of that process for them. It’s really giving them the liberty and the freedom to make it their own. One thing that Lisa has done a really great job of is providing the parameters and giving the feedback but also kind of taking the reins off.”
The freedom to pursue interests and creativity has led to the organic merging of student experiences from the school’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and new Center for Digital Broadcasting. For example, Zenner taught some of her broadcasting students how to fly drones and earn their drone licenses, which has opened the doors for several student-created business opportunities through the entrepreneurial leadership program.
Students also gain real-world work experience by partnering with the FRA marketing and communications office to produce content, as well as meet with professional on-air talent from local TV stations. Students even interview professional athletes for FRA’s version of “ESPN’s College Game Day,” a project that was conceived by students and entirely student-led from start to finish. Because of these hands-on learning opportunities, FRA graduates find themselves well-prepared for the transition to college; they are able to immediately plug into college broadcasting and media opportunities from day one because of what they’ve learned in middle and high school.
“Every school in SAIS, somewhere along the way, says they want to build a lifelong love of learning, and seldom do we actually allow for programs and possibility for students that actually foster that,” asserts Harris. “It’s really fun when we can have signature programs where students can pursue their passions in meaningful ways and see the tangible impact of the work that they’re doing.”
Student Involvement Across All Divisions – The Mount Vernon School, Atlanta, GA
At The Mount Vernon School, which serves more than 1,250 students in grades PK-12, what started in the upper school has transcended divisions, with students in lower, middle, and upper school now involved in some form of student-run media programming.
What started with the oldest students has grown organically through feedback, student interest, and the school’s commitment to fostering innovation. The expansion into middle and lower school reflects a strategic goal of equipping students with 21st-century skills, nurturing creative expression, and building leadership capabilities. These programs are the result of collaboration among faculty, administrators, and students, all of whom recognize the critical importance of media literacy and communication skills in today’s world.
In the lower school, students lead morning announcements as part of the grade 5 Leadership Inquiry-Based Learning program. Each day, students write and deliver announcements to the school, and a student ambassador even visits Kindergarten classrooms to deliver announcements in person, bridging communication gaps in spaces where technology might not be as effective.
Middle school features the Mount Vernon News Network, a student-run broadcast that airs every morning under the guidance of Mary Ann Stillerman. Students play key roles in production, on-air reporting, and editing, gaining hands-on experience with broadcast journalism. Additionally, a podcasting club led by Jeanine Englert allows students, especially from grade 6, to explore storytelling, research, and audio production. For those seeking a deeper dive, a podcasting course taught by Micah Caldwell allows students to create a diverse range of content, from middle school survival tips and sports analytics to creative rewrites of films and international food reviews.
In the upper school, students engage in digital media through the Entertainment Business and Marketing class, where they create digital broadcasts focusing on innovative storytelling and marketing strategies. Athletics programming, led by Chandler Lee, features student athletic broadcasting, offering a platform for students to cover games, deliver commentary, and develop content for the community.
The response from the school community to these initiatives has been overwhelmingly positive. Parents and faculty appreciate the confidence and creativity these programs cultivate in students. And, students themselves are enthusiastic, often citing these opportunities as highlights of their school experience. One grade 6 student shared, “Podcasting helped me find my voice and share my ideas with others in a way I didn’t know was possible.”
In addition to building confidence, many students discover hidden talents in public speaking, leadership, and storytelling. Several students have expressed interest in pursuing careers in journalism, media production, or digital content creation. And students have honed skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, and adaptability, all of which are essential for future success.
Faculty Champions Provide the Needed Support
The four schools featured here encourage and support students to explore their ideas and exercise their creative freedom. All four schools provide administrative support when called upon and have faculty champions who are passionate about the work, want to help grow the programs, and hope to help students discover their talents and passions. Notably, students are gaining skills that will be critical for their futures, no matter which path they follow after graduation.
Ideas Into Action
Ready to take the next step and launch a new media program at your school? Consider this advice from our featured schools as you explore building a new broadcasting or digital media program.
