With the start of the 2024-2025 school year, Schreiber’s new courses in the social studies department and art department have begun their first run. The social studies department is currently offering a senior experience dedicated to broadcasting at a college level. In the art department, the Visual and Media Arts course is open to all grades and combines art and technology.
For students interested in sports and broadcasting, the Schreiber News Network (SNN) senior experience provides a hands-on course which combines both elements. SNN can be seen on hallway TVs, often reporting on various topics such as school events, sports news, and other local stories.
“The class brings out new elements and life to the students. I like the freedom in how we choose who we want to interview,” said senior Mac Bailly, who is a student in the SNN senior experience.
On their Instagram account, @schreibernewsnetwork, SNN posts news episodes that feature interviews with teachers, students, and athletes, and are more in-depth than what is shown on the TVs.
“There will be a lot of content each week, and the improvement will be noted by everybody who watches SNN,” said social studies teacher Mr. Jeremy Klaff.
Mr. Klaff, who started SNN and teaches the senior experience, also runs Schreiber’s radio station, the Radio Club, and the Radio and Podcasting elective.
Students enrolled in the SNN senior experience are expected to create video content to be posted across various social media platforms. Evidently, their skills in video editing, interviewing, and more will improve throughout the year.
“Any student that is interested in broadcasting at the college level would be interested in this class. Most of our broadcasters are ahead of the game when they get to college compared to their peers,” said Mr. Klaff.
If you are interested in such broadcasting but you are not yet a senior, consider taking any of the Radio and Podcasting courses next year, or speak to Mr. Klaff about starting a podcast at any time.
“After completing the sports broadcasting class last year and learning so much about play-by-play, broadcasting, and interviews, I was thrilled when Mr. Klaff revealed that he would be teaching a new senior experience called the Schreiber News Network. During my class last year, I experienced anxiety when it came to being on camera and being on broadcast. However, this time, in a new class, I feel completely at ease speaking and conducting interviews. I had the honor of co-anchoring the first Schreiber News Network episode, something I would not have believed if you told me last year. Compared to last year’s sports broadcasting class, this one is very different. In the same way that we used to cover sports, we now cover school, clubs, activities, events and more! I can’t wait to co-anchor more episodes, conduct interviews, and all around get better. If you’re interested in journalism or broadcasting, I highly recommend taking Schreiber News Network as your senior experience,” said senior Hannah Gentry, who takes the SNN course.
For students interested in the arts and graphic design, they should consider taking Media Arts. The Media Arts course teaches students to create digital art through means such as film, photography, animation, graphic design, and more. Skills learned in the course include creating posters, photography, using photoshop, web design, making stop motion animations, broadcasting, and the use of Canva, a website used to create artistic and professional presentations.
“I think technology… is only getting bigger. It’s good to learn in high school how to use these programs that are getting really popular. [You’re] not only learning about it in school, but there are so many things in your everyday life that you’ll need to know,” said art teacher Ms. Sarah Jones.
The integration of technology in Media Arts allows students to build a foundation not only in art and creativity, but also about computer programs. Canva, for example, is popularly used to create slideshows in work settings.
“For those students who aren’t into drawing and painting, there’s digital art that you can take…For those who are into the Design and Drawing Production of technology and architecture, this is a headway into more of the art and technology,” said Ms. Jones.
Media Arts is the newest class at Schreiber to offer a non-scientific perspective on digital art, which is becoming increasingly popular as technology becomes more prominent in marketing and entertainment. Students who embrace their creativity on screens rather than paper will find Media Arts complementary to their interests.
“Media Arts is so interesting, and it’s so important… to learn how to be creative when surrounded by technology,” said freshman Liza Zlotoff.
These newly offered courses at Schreiber provide for students a more creative curriculum, and offer outlets for them to embrace their artistry through mediums other than paint or pencil.