Eastview students win national award for television production

By Erica Christoffer
Sun Newspapers
(Created 4/22/04 8:55:36 AM)

It’s the students at Eastview High School (EVHS) that call “lights, camera, action,” rather than a director, and they’re winning awards for it.

The Flash, Eastview’s live student news broadcast, recently won a 2004 Aegis Award for a 15-minute video production, “The Flash Multicultural Show,” which aired Feb. 26.

In a yearlong broadcast journalism course for seniors at EVHS, The Flash features school-related issues and events. Students take on roles as television anchors, field reporters, camera operators, editors and directors.

“They’re very passionate about what they do,” said Tyler Krebs, broadcast journalism teacher.

The show is generally five minutes long and airs in all the classrooms throughout the school every Thursday. However, the special multicultural show was extended to include special reports and extra content.

“Really, every single student in the class was involved in some aspect of it,” Krebs said.

As students explored story ideas for the multicultural show, they found several issues related to the Eastview community. Stories touched on EVHS’s production of “The Laramie Project,” black history month, multicultural theater, foreign exchange students and student religions.

Bilingual students involved in The Flash anchored along side foreign exchange students, adding the languages of Japanese, Arabic, Spanish, Swedish, German and Maori to the show with English subtitles.

Senior Devin Kelley said, “I think that the foreign exchange students were really happy to be involved with it and share with the rest of the school something that was home to them.”

The tape was submitted to a national video production contest, which was judged by a panel of experts. The students were competing against major companies that regularly produce professional videos, Krebs said.

“It’s kind of a cool thing for our students to be recognized nationally because they really are producing professional quality work at a high school level,” Krebs said. “They’re pretty talented.”

Rana Ansari said she received compliments from several teachers for her segment on the various religions at EVHS.

“It really involved the entire school,” Devin said. “It touched on so many different issues that everyone felt that they could relate to some part.”

In addition to the multicultural show, students are responsible for creating the stories and angles for every broadcast. Teachers guide their ideas and give them suggestions.

“It really comes down to where our students take us,” Krebs said.

The beginning of the week is spent preparing for the show, gathering stories, conducting interviews and editing clips. Segments are filmed before the live show. Often the students stay late at school on Wednesdays to finish editing for their Thursday show.

When asked why they wanted to be a part of The Flash, students said they basically wanted a “different” classroom experience.

“I think that media is such a huge part of our life these days,” senior Whitney Klefsaas said. “I know that I have such a greater appreciation for it and I understand more of where it comes from, from being involved in [The Flash] and the effect [media] can have on other people.”

Lynette Tejera said she took The Flash course to inform other students on what’s going on in the school and in the community.

“I think the cool thing about The Flash is it’s not just one group of friends,” Whitney said.

Students involved in other activities bring their interests into the show, which produces a variety of broadcast material.

Everyone has an equal voice and the freedom to follow through with their ideas, Lynette said. Rather than learning at desks, it’s hands-on experiences in the studio.

“You can learn things that you can’t learn in text books,” Whitney said, by interviewing students, meeting new people and experiencing human interactions.

“I’ve absolutely learned how to get out of my comfort zone because it’s so much risk taking being in front of 5,000 people on camera,” senior Jesse Stapp said. “Not only that but getting outside the comfort zone of my friends.”

When Eastview was built, it was designed to include the extensive television studio. The school went from one broadcast journalism class to six over the past seven years. The video production department now includes two broadcast journalism classes each quarter and two yearlong courses that produce live shows.

Students must complete an application process to get into The Flash and the new 11th grade show that features daily announcements.

“By being involved in it we can hear our views and others as well,” senior Chelsea Kastner said.

More than 80 students usually apply and 25 are accepted to each yearlong class. There are prerequisite courses required to be involved with The Flash where students learn how to run the camera and editing equipment. By the time they enter The Flash, they are ready to begin shooting shows.

Lynette said now that college is approaching, the class has opened her eyes to different careers.

Rana said she has wanted to be a news anchor since she was a child and took The Flash to prepare for her college major in broadcast journalism.

Although Jesse said he probably will not go into a broadcast journalism career, he said his time on The Flash has helped him with time management, communication skills and relating to other people.

“It’s a foundation for everything that I’m going to do,” Jesse said.

PRESS RELEASE:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Students in The Flash Win Aegis Award

Apple Valley, MN – Students of The Flash at Eastview High School have won a 2004 Aegis Award for a 15 minute video produced as a live school broadcast on February 26, 2004. The Aegis Awards are the video industry's premier competition for peer recognition of outstanding video productions and non-network TV commercials.

"The Flash Multicultural Show (2/26/04)" was honored in the "News" category for its outstanding production quality by a distinguished panel of judges representing industry professionals from around the country.

The Flash, Eastview High School's student-produced news magazine show, produces a weekly show on school activities and topics. Although this show is usually five minutes in length, this special multicultural show was extended to fit its unique content. Anchors in the multicultural show were foreign exchange students and bilingual Flash students. The show included stories on The Laramie Project, black history month, multicultural theater, foreign exchange students, and student religions. Students in The Flash were responsible for all aspects of the show from story conception to the live broadcast. Students created story topics and angles. Students shot all interviews and B-roll footage. They edited all of the stories using non-linear editors. During the live show, students produced, directed, technical directed, created and operated graphics, controlled audio, ran the teleprompter, floor directed, and operated studio cameras. It was the ultimate example of teamwork to create this special show.

The Flash is broadcast live throughout Eastview High School and on the Internet every Thursday at 11:05. Students in The Flash in the 2003-2004 school year include: Rana Ansari, Cassie Chapley, Holly Christianson, Metra Farrari, Mitch Gonzalez, Chelsea Kastner, Devin Kelley, Jake Kindberg, Whitney Klefsaas, Katie Mayo, Sarah Mullen, Brian Nelson, Taryn Noll, Dan Olson, David Paradeise, Jake Rains, Molly Sauerbry, Lucas Shanks, Kyle Spahn, Jesse Stapp, Lynette Tejera, Andy Tighe, Mike Toscano, Dana Wessel, Mike Zanatta, Ashley Zwiefel.

Earlier this year, Flash students Mike Zanatta and Lucas Shanks won 1st place at the 2004 MSHSPA Sports Journalism Contest for the Minnesota Wild at the XCEL Engergy Center. They produced a three minute video on a Minnesota Wild practice including an interview of player Brad Brown. As a result of winning the contest, they received two tickets to a Wild game and saw their video displayed on the arena scoreboard during the game. It was the 2nd consecutive year that Eastview students had won this award.

Previous Flash students have also won an Emmy Finalist award, an Aurora Gold award, an Excellence in Media Production (AECT) award, and a Focus Enhancement’s Thoughts and Dreams contest. Students in The Flash have also been recognized in Wired.com, in Bridges.com, in AV Video Multimedia Producer, in Access Magazine, in Apple Valley Sun Current, in Apple Valley Thisweek, in XY: Extreme Youth, and on KTSC Channel 45.