Learner success depends on a number of factors including having access to learning that is personalized and flexible. To make education personalized learners have to be able to express and follow their interests. For example, the development of the Video Production and Broadcasting program of study – a 2018 Excellence in Action Award winner in the Arts, A/V Technology & Communications Career Cluster®, housed at Nashua High School South, in Nashua, New Hampshire – is the result of a school responding to the needs of its students.
“I didn’t get into teaching for the awards. I got into it to help prepare students for the real world — whether they go into video production or not. We really work hard with the students to make sure they get a great education in film and media but also learn crucial college and career readiness skills so that they are prepared for the real world,” said Jeffrey Leone, Instructor of the Video Production and Broadcasting Program.
A survey revealed that learners at Nashua High School had a significant interest in the TV and Video Broadcasting Career Pathway. After a few years of planning with industry and education partners in the community, the Video Production & Broadcasting program was established in 2001.
To support success in both career and college, learners earn a user certification in Avid Media Composer editing software and up to three college credits through the New Hampshire Community College system. The learner success outcomes demonstrate why this program is excelling. 86 percent of learners in the 2016-17 class enrolled in postsecondary education and 100 percent participated in work-based learning.
Schools must rely on partners, especially employers and community-based organizations, to supplement learners’ in-class experiences. The City of Nashua’s Public Education Television Channel, for example, has been a program partner for seven years. They offer internship opportunities for learners to produce local community programming, including election debates and community forums. Students also regularly attend field trips to WMUR Channel 9 in Manchester, NH and WHDH Channel 7 in Boston, MA, where they take tours of the facilities and speak with professionals.
Learn more about the Video Production and Broadcasting Program at Nashua High School South and our 2018 award winners.
Nicole Howard, Communications Associate