New London Tiger TV (KTTV) is on the air

By MEGAN COOPER

Mt. Pleasant News

NEW LONDON ? New London Community School District is taking class outside of the classroom.

This year, New London High School created a broadcasting class entitled Communication Arts, which is worth English credit. The goal of the class is for students to create meaningful projects in order to understand the effects broadcast media has on society. The show has been named Tiger TV (KTTV).

On Friday, Nov. 22, the high school allowed the community a peek inside the studio and to see a live taping of one of the shows. New London hosted a School-to-Career meeting on this day as well, and those in attendance had the chance to watch the broadcast as well.

The students were enthusiastic as they made preparations for the show. One important aspect of this class ? it is student driven. Teachers only supervise and are there to help if needed; otherwise, the students are in control. Allison Lair, Jennifer Campbell and Jon Munford are the instructors who help the students.

?I think it?s great so far and it?s something new,? said senior, Braden Gerst. Gerst is one of the talents on the show and also helps with the camera when it is not his turn to be anchor. ?I wish we had this sooner and I could have done it all four years instead of just my senior year,? he added.

The class wasn?t something that just anyone could take. In order to be a part of it, students had to apply ,which included resumes and letters of recommendation, and then go through an interview and of course have their grades in order. ?We probably had about 26 kids apply and only 14 got in the class,? said senior Addie Lounsbury, who is the director for the show.

The class started as a push for a way to extend the district?s shift from a traditional teaching and learning environment to a digital teaching and learning environment as part of the district?s 1:1 student laptop initiative.

Shows are taped weekly and all 14 students help to make it possible. Each student has a unique role, ranging from leadership to technical positions.

?I think more schools should get into it. It?s a great learning experience and you gets you involved in the community,? Gerst said.

When asked if time was an issue, Gerst laughed and said, ?Not normally, but sometimes you get that rushed feeling. Most of the time though, we get everything done on time.?

Friday?s show discussed Thanksgiving traditions, reviewed the fall play, gave Black Friday shopping tips and shared some history on Thanksgiving. Anchors senior Sami Koontz and senior Ashlynn Brown even added some humor to the show by telling some Thanksgiving jokes.

?I like it and I like being the director. I like being in control and telling people what to do. I do have to be an anchor soon, and that?s when Sami (Koontz) will take over responsibility as director. I?m not sure how I feel about that,? Lounsbury said laughing.

The class helps to open new doors that students may not have thought about before. Brown said she has now thought about something in this field after high school. ?I?m still not sure, but it?s an option,? she said.

The students are also learning how to communicate with community members and are learning how to interview people. ?I like being an anchor, but I do find it challenging sometimes. You learn that not everyone wants to be on TV or to talk to you,? Koontz said.

The members of the class are Addie Lounsbury (director), Cody Bartels (production director), Allison Mertens (technical director), Ryan Strah (technician), Detrich Totemeier (technician), Cassie Bellmer (technician), Gabe Eland (technician), Chloe Jacobs (technician and the artist behind the KTTV logo on the anchor desk), Ashlynn Brown (talent), Janice Sinclair (talent), Maddie Kirchner (talent), Sami Koontz (talent), Austin McBeth (talent) and Braden Gerst (talent).

The studio in which the episodes are filmed is professional. It has two cameras, spotlights, headphones, and production room behind soundproof glass, anchor desk and a TV that hangs on the wall behind the desk in order to show pictures that deal with feature stories.

?It?s fun, it?s new, and I?m so glad that I got to be a part of the first class who got to do this. Check out our episodes on the New London School website or YouTube, it?s worth it,? Brown said.

Tiger TV features upcoming events, news stories, highlights of events and much more. ?Once you get the hang of it, it?s easy. The shows are fun and like I said before, I wish I could have done it all four years,? Gerst finished.

Check out Tiger TV each week, they are filmed on Thursday and posted on Friday. They will be on the New London website, http://www.new-london.k12.ia.us/ under their Facebook page or they can be found on YouTube and searching KTTV Tiger TV. There have been eight episodes so far and 30 episodes projected for the school year.