HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM: MFL MarMac students learn broadcasting at Wartburg

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By Ashley Ann Heins, MFL MarMac sophomore

MONONA - Lights, camera, action!

A group of MFL MarMac High School students, chaperoned by teachers Melissa Haberichter and Angie Killian, visited the student broadcasting center at Wartburg College in February to learn more about what television and radio broadcasting involves.

During the tour, students experienced the thrill of talking on a live radio show and were able to read off a teleprompter while reading various news stories in the television studio.

“I loved doing the radio because we were able to act however we liked while off the air," junior Sheree Scarff said with a laugh. "On the other hand, TV was a blast, just because of the fact that the teleprompter kept getting away from us and seeing ourselves on the mini TV screen that was placed in our desk made us get kind of giggly."

Freshman Chris Larson said  “during the radio, when we went on the air, I was a little nervous because if I said something stupid a lot of people would hear, but during TV I wasn't as nervous because I knew it wasn't real...but I did get to laughing as well.”

The idea of a creating a production studio at MFL MarMac started with Killian and her Applied Speech Class.

“I want to expose students to media communications," she said. "We live in an area far removed from television news studios and I want students to know about a career that they could be a part of. I also want to build a mock TV studio at our school for students to utilize it for speech contests, applied communications classes and by other teachers with classroom projects as well."

“I enjoy students coming in to the media center to borrow cameras or to get technology advice for projects," Haberichter said. "It would be nice if students had a studio where they could produce quality, professional work with the right lighting and effects."

Scarff predicts “students will become more involved in video production, radio or news. A great number of kids here at school may not be shy, but once they are in front of a group of people or a camera lens, they freeze. Having a studio would encourage kids to break loose of their social bubble and prepare them to tackle whatever socially awkward occurrences life throws at them!”

“Students will gain hands on and real world experience about camera angles, lighting, working with a green screen, writing a script for TV news, reporting and interviewing skills, overall increased communication skills. There is no other school around our area that has a production studio. This will add to the list of great things MFL MarMac School has to offer, and make it stand out from other schools.” Killian said.

The mock TV studio project has received a grant from Northeast Iowa Telephone Company in Monona and Wartburg Professor Travis Bockenstedt has offered to come to MFL MarMac to assist in building this production studio.

In addition to traveling to Wartburg for this project, MFL MarMac freshmen have toured the KWWL studio in Waterloo to learn about the many different aspects of an daily show and how it is planned in advance.

Stay tuned.