“It’s cold,” is the first thing FHS senior Kate Adkins says about shooting the football games. Kate manned a camera on top of the press booth. “It’s really intense. You have to concentrate on what John [the Technical Director] is saying and on keeping track of the ball.”

“The experience of working live has taught the kids to think a lot faster on their feet and to work better as a team,” said FHS broadcast teacher Peggy James. “The workload is huge in that the kids work from 4 pm to midnight. They haul equipment to set up, and then after the game to tear down. They are the last people in the stadium after the game.”

Cary Pollock, Chief Engineer for district TV production, assembled the TV Bus out of an old decommissioned school bus and used video equipment. He was able to cobble together a state of the art production center that can be run by a crew of seven.

“Working with the kids reminds me of my first days in television, at AETN in the 70s” said Cary. “The kids are getting hands' on real world mobile production experience that they wouldn’t get otherwise. And the kids' performance along with the picture quality has improved noticeably.”

Pulling off the football broadcast required a camera operator and one field director perched on top of the press box, another camera operator on the field, and a technical director, graphics person, and audio engineer who worked behind the scenes in the bus.

The TV Bus can do more than shoot sports. It can also be used to capture any event – plays, musicals, band concerts, etc. Members of the FPS community who can’t make it to the events can still share in the experience.

“Before I came to FHS I had no intention of working in TV broadcasting,” said senior John Couch who works as Technical Director. “Now, after three years, it’s the biggest goal in my life.”

Catch the next game on channel 14, and soon, streaming live from the fayar.net website.

For more information:

FHS Basketball Schedule (Boys)

FHS Basketball Schedule (Girls)

FHS Baseball

FHS Softball

FHS Student TV Productions

Please also visit the FPS TV & Multimedia Services section for more information on video productions.