‘Spartans? line the walls in LOHS’s TV Production Workshop (TPW) room but it’s not because the students are Michigan State fans.
Spartan awards are given by the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association and the TPW class has achieved the top award two of the last three years.
In addition to their 2008 Spartan, 28 students won individual awards.
‘This program is recognized as one of the top in the state,? said Assistant Principal, Chris Bell.
TPW is the capstone to a four-year broadcasting program in the high school. Juniors and seniors have to go through an application process for admittance.
‘These kids are the cream of the crop,? said Roger Smith.
Roger has been teaching the class since 2002 and is winning awards of his own. In 2007 he was named LOHS’s Teacher of the Year, and in 2008 he earned USA Today’s Courageous Leader award and was a finalist for Michigan’s Teacher of the Year award.
The goal of the class is to give students hands-on career-related work experience which creates a very nontraditional setting.
‘We treat our classroom like a professional newsroom,? Roger said.
Cody Stauber is a student in the class who plans on attending Central Michigan University after high school. He wants to study broadcasting and cinematic arts.
‘This class is my life,? he said. ‘I come to school for this.?
Cody Stauber is another student in the class. He plans on attending Oakland University for Communications.
‘This class is helping me prepare for my future,? he said.
The program boasts many successful graduates, including Roger Smith.
Greg Bowman from WWJ’s afternoon radio news show took one of the very first broadcasting classes.
Fox 2’s Kerry Birmingham launched from LOHS in the 1980s.
Bryan Terry graduated in the 90s and now owns an advertising firm in Manhattan.
And Kathy Kimmel, former writer for the Review, was in the program, too.
Recent graduates include Daniel Gianino who won a national anti-drinking campaign competition. His 30-second message is currently being aired on major cable channels like VH1 and ABC Family. Daniel is a freshman this year at the Michigan State University.
For more information about TPW please visit www.dragonbroadcasting.org.