Award Winning WHS Digital Media

WASILLA - Many questions about the first instance of the Alaska Legislature in the Mat-Su Valley on July 8 are yet to be unanswered. Concerns about security, traffic, and the accessibility to the public of the special session at Wasilla Middle School called by Governor Mike Dunleavy will be determined in the two weeks leading up to the looming debate over the Permanent Fund Dividend. A major concern for many rural Alaskans in particular is the availability of broadcast of the session those not within a drivable distance to Wasilla. Many logistical decisions have yet to be revealed, but the ability to broadcast the legislative session in Wasilla Middle lies just across the street.

“Media at WHS has grown into what I would argue is the most robust high-school media program in the state,” said WHS Media teacher John Notestine.

Following the lead of Colony High School, Notestine began teaching media classes at Wasilla High School in 2015. The award of a Carl Perkins federal Career and Technical Education grant, along with several others and assistance from the Mat-Su Borough School District helped build what Notestine would argue is the best broadcast team in the Mat-Su Borough. Students at Wasilla High can take Digital Media for four years and Notestine added a Broadcast Journalism class as well. Student camera operators and announcers are able to use over $100,000 in audio/visual equipment at Wasilla HIgh. The program has blossomed in it’s short history, helping students to pursue careers in broadcast journalism.

“I have numerous students already working in the field and several currently pursuing degrees in media and broadcasting. This past year my students made a clean sweep of all of the major video contest categories in Alaska including the major categories at ASTE and Skills USA. WHS has now won the Skills USA Broadcast News category two years in a row. Most recently one of my media students produced a video for the Manilow Music Project, a national video contest, and took 4th place. His video earned Wasilla High School $10,000,” Notestine said.

MSBSD Public Information Officer Jillian Morrissey said that Superintendent Dr. Monica Goyette had welcomed the legislature to use equipment if necessary, saying the school district would be happy to share. The offer by MSBSD has not been taken up.

In four years of the digital media program at Wasilla High, Notestine’s students have streamed over 100 events such as regional tournaments and each graduation ceremony held at the Menard Sports Complex. The Alaska School Activities Association contracted Colony and Wasilla crews to stream the Division 1 ASAA/First National Bank State Hockey tournament at the Menard each of the past two years.

“We took it to a level that they’d never had before,” Notestine said.

Notestine’s crew is capable of broadcasting an eight-camera production. The WHS digital media equipment includes a Tricaster 460 professional grade video switcher, Sony broadcast level cameras and two wireless zero-delay cameras. The student broadcasts of the state hockey tournament featured graphics common to the average sports media consumer, but new to any Alaskan high school sports stream. The student crew was able to produce graphics on the lower third of the screen and provide instant replays after big plays. Should the legislature take Goyette up on her offer, Notestine believes that the WHS Media equipment is capable of bringing the special session at Wasilla Middle to a larger audience of Alaskans.

“I think that there’s even a possibility of going to Gavel to Gavel,” Notestine said.

Notestine noted that he had not been a part of any discussions about the legislature’s use of WHS media equipment to broadcast the session. Notestine thanked Amy Spargo, former CTE Director Ray DePriest and the Mat-Su Borough School District for their support in building the digital media program at Wasilla High.