Success. It’s a word that has been synonymous with the Dragon Broadcasting Program this year.
Not only has one Television Production Workshop (TPW) student been awarded a prestigious full ride journalism scholarship through Central Michigan University, but the class, as a whole, has found great success at two different ceremonies in the last month.
According to teacher Roger Smith, the TPW students attended the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA) awards on April 21, where they won first place in eight of the 19 categories offered, as well as bringing home 28 individual awards, seven more than their previous record, set last year.
‘We don’t necessarily go out of our way for contests, but so many of those competitions fall in line with what we’re already doing in class,? he said. ‘We already have news anchors, sports stories, and script-writing. We aim to simulate a real television newsroom every day.?
First place finishes for the class came from Cody Stauber and Matt Hood, MIPA Promotional Video; Stephanie McClung, Hayley Holder and Sarah Kielinen, Editorial Commentary; Kyle Hagan and Lauren Krzyzanowski, Sports Story; Kyle Goodall, Anchor for a News Program; Goodall, Field Reporting; Goodall, Music Video; Kielinen and Debra Pratt, DVD/CD Production; and Hagan and Krzyzanowski, Best Graphics.
Additionally, TPW’s daily live news show, LO-AM, won for second best newscast in the state, and, as a whole, TPW took home the state’s top honor ? a Spartan.
According to Smith, the Spartan Award is a comprehensive recognition in which schools send a compilation of student work.
‘Short of the judges actually coming to the school and watching the school’s classes for a period of time, the Spartan is a balanced and thorough method of measuring the overall program and students? abilities,? he explained.
‘We strive to produce the best work possible for our audience,? Smith added. ‘We have some outstanding students who are passionate about video journalism. They’ve sought to enhance their learning, and have produced quality work for their audience; winning the Spartan is just icing on the cake.?
This year’s Spartan marks the second for the Dragon Broadcasting Program in the past three years.
MIPA wasn’t the only place TPW students had found success, as the class participated in a national scholarship contest called the Courageous Persuaders, which Smith has his students participate in not only for the scholarships, but more importantly, for the message. It’s a public service announcement (PSA) contest that focuses on message of anti-drinking.
According to Smith, over 1,000 students enter the competition yearly, and it’s a ‘big deal? to be selected as one of 15-20 finalists. From the finalists, eight individuals win national awards. This year, three of them were LOHS students.
‘LOHS students won 38 percent of the awards, while the rest of the country placed in the other 62 percent,? Smith noted of his three winners, Sarah Kielinen (Cianciolo Family Memorial Scholarship), Kyle Hagan (first place) and Daniel Gianino (grand prize).
‘LOHS students took the top two awards nationally (with Hagan and Gianino’s finishes),? he added. ‘That’s phenomenal. I was hopeful we’d get one or two in as finalists; I’m blown away by the final results.?
Smith credited his students? hard work for their success, and noted that they have created quite a tradition for future TPW members to live up to.
‘I thank my students for having open-minds, for trusting and respecting the judgment of their peers and me, and for working hard to attain the standards we established at the start of the year,? he added.
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Individual Finishers
News Story: Stephanie McClung, 3rd; Feature Story: Kyle Goodall, 2nd, Allie Hock, Honorable Mention; Public Service Announcement: Goodall, 3rd; Personality Profile: Sarah Kielinen, 2nd; Best Script Writing: Kyle Hagan, 2nd, Samantha Shipley, 3rd; Editorial Commentary: McClung/Hayley Holder/Kielinen, 1st, Candice Cosby, Honorable Mention; Live Sports Coverage: Jerry Eluskie/McClung/Debra Pratt/Matt Hood, 2nd; Sports Story: Hagan/Lauren Krzyzanowski, 1st; Anchor for a News Show: Goodall, 1st, Nicolette Raymor, 2nd, Krzyzanowski, Honorable Mention; Field Reporter: Goodall, 1st, McClung, Honorable Mention; Studio Talent: Hood, 2nd, Eluskie, 3rd, Hagan, Honorable Mention; Music Video: Goodall, 1st, Raymor/Pratt/Hannah Larke, 2nd; DVD/CD Production: Kielinen/Pratt, 1st; Best Graphics: Hagan/Krzyzanowski, 1st; Animation: Goodall, 2nd; MIPA Promotional Video: Cody Stauber/Hood, 1st, Hock, 2nd, Pratt, 3rd; Feature Story (on site): Katherine Johnson, 3rd