education TV class offers students unique opportunity

TRI-LAKES AREA — Jessieville High School offers something not found in too many school districts in the state - a broadcast journalism class.

Under the guidance of instructor Amanda Sarver, television production students in grades nine through 12 organize, produce, film and deliver a variety of programs, including coverage of athletic events, concerts, awards programs and special events.

“This class does a good job,” said Steve Wright, high school principal. “They broadcast live over the local cable (Suddenlink) network.

“It’s part of our vocational education department. Students get credit for it and take it for three years to complete the program. They do a good job.

“It gives us the opportunity for people to look at our school while sitting in their own living rooms, so to speak.”

Sarver said her students use the newest technology in media equipment to film and edit programs.

“The broadcasting class tries to introduce students to broadcast journalism as a possible career choice,” Sarver said. “This Department of Workforce Education program has a three-year completion seal awarded at graduation.”

She said the objective of the program is to film area events that are requested by patrons plus local sporting events and extracurricular activities. She said radio broadcasting is also offered through a partnership with KRVE Village radio station in Hot Springs Village where students air Jessieville news.

Sarver, a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock who is in her sixth year as a teacher at Jessieville, said the local high school TV broadcasting program was one of the first 10 programs started in the state in the late 1990s. She has been teaching the class for the last four years, and this year she has 23 students in the program. There are no prerequisite classes required.

“Any t hing you ask, we do,” she said with a smile as she discussed the kinds of programs the class produces. “We film all sporting events, graduation, spelling bees and whatever else comes along. We also go out into the community to film when asked,” she said. “We’ve even produced a DVD for [U.S. Rep.] Mike Ross. It’s a free service that we provide.”

Students attend class every day for one hour.

“It’s a different kind of class,” Sarver said. “There are no books. Students don’t sit at desks with pencils and paper. They come in and get busy with their projects. It’s pretty much a self-driven class. They know what they need to do and they do it.”

Sarver said students who finish the three-year program are called “completers.” Some students have taken it for four years and “run the program,” Sarver said. Fourth-year students are Kodi Speers, Matthew Balcom, Taylor Stroud and Shea Sanford.

“I like to film and go to all of the events,” said Speers, who is a senior at Jessieville High School. “I probably won’tmajor in broadcast journalism in college. I may become a teacher. I plan to attend Harding University.”

Balcom, who is also a senior, said he also likes to be involved in all of the activities.

“I did not know a lot about TV cameras before I got involved in this program,” Balcom said. “I definitely want to study it in college. I plan to attend Henderson State University and major in education. But there’s a possibility I might become an ‘on-air’ personality.”

Kaylee Wood is a sophomore and in her second year of the broadcast journalism.

“I like to film and do stories,” she said. “I particularly like to go to football games and write stories about them. I’m thinking about studying broadcast journalism in college.”

Junior Brady Hobbs is also in his second year of broadcast journalism.

“I got into it because I enjoy sports,” he said. “I like filming sports. I thought I’d take it for fun - and I am having fun.”

He said there is a possibility he might study broadcast journalism in college.

Sarver said the students film all home games and go to the playoffs as needed.

“We hosted the state basketball tournament two years ago,” she recalled. “We filmed 32 games in four days. We had some long days and late nights.”

Sarver said the class earns money by selling DVDs of events they film.

“That’s our only moneymaker,” she said. “We charge $5 a disc. We made about $900 last year.”

She said the money goes back into the program.

Sarver said Jessieville High School plans to use some of its federal stimulus money to buy new equipment for the broadcast journalism class. She said the TV production class, the Environmental And Spatial Technology (EAST) lab, the family and consumer science program and the multimedia program each vie for the same dollars from the school.

“They rotate all of these programs to see which ones get money and new equipment,” she said.

“Our equipment is 10 years old,” she said. “We really need to update it.” - crolf@arkansasonline.com

Tri-Lakes, Pages 60 on 10/29/2009

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