Industrial arts instructor Dave Podlogar of Southwest Junior High is teaching his students how to produce their own TV news productions.

Thursday, December 09, 1999

Industrial arts instructor Dave Podlogar of Southwest Junior High is teaching his students how to produce their own TV news productions.

About 48 seventh- and eighth-grade students in two classes are learning the skills needed in TV broadcasting. The school system is networked electronically and receives the daily Channel 1 program, a 12-minute news show produced by teen-agers for teen-agers. The students watch the videos and are then required to make their own, Podlogar said.

The industrial arts room, along with the media center, are being reconfigured. Currently, 30 computers, printers and a few flat-bed scanners are networked in the industrial arts room and are available for the students.

&uot;They use the technology to produce their programs, create brochures and T-shirts, and newsletters,&uot; he said.

There are also video-taping and editing equipment as well as a special TV studio.

Jason Gordon was leading his fellow students in producing a Tiger-Time broadcast Tuesday. Like Charlie Chaplin, Gordon directed the action on camera, and then stepped in front of the camera to give an interview with his fellow students Nate Loberg and Ross Stadheim.

&uot;You guys have got to smile,&uot; he directs. &uot;Move around, be more active.&uot; The shot took several takes, but the desired product was finally achieved. Co-anchors Loberg and Stadheim gave the introduction, then they viewed their work. Next, some special effects and music were added. Finally, Stadheim and Loberg interviewed Gordon on his wrestling record.

Behind the cameras were Nicole Merfeld and Michelle Tuchowski. Dilen Rippentorp stepped in as the director.

&uot;Classes like this give students a vision of the future and possible career choices,&uot; Podlogar said. &uot;It gives them confidence and they have fun doing it.