THS Broadcasting offers career opportunities

Media constantly surrounds the lives of high school twenty-first-century Americans, whether via a movie binge with friends, a podcast on the drive to school or the daily news. Ever considered what goes on behind the scenes? Well, every big-name director, podcaster, or news anchor has to start from an aspiring student somewhere.

Taunton High School features its very own broadcasting, film and TV production course. Take a look into THS’s educational process before the cameras start rolling and hear about how far the program has come since its founding in the early 1980s.

The THS broadcasting department offers three levels of education focusing on teaching students the skills they need to become successful in the media industry. Students learn how to operate cameras, assemble tripods, write scripts, use editing software and handle microphones. However big changes have occurred in the TV studio. The program has grown to accommodate more students than ever before, offering new educational and future career opportunities to Taunton’s students.

“Prior to 2013, we could only accommodate about 40 different students. This year we have 99 students in our program and that number has remained pretty consistent over the past seven years,” Mr. Steve Jacques, the TV broadcasting teacher and director.

With more and more students interested the department has recently upgraded to include another fully equipped classroom, a new lighting system, and various additional cameras and lenses.

Also, students are now able to participate in an extra course, journalism, focusing on the aspects of news reporting and the creation of a news show. Last year the senior broadcasting students put on the first Tiger TV news program with great success. It continues this year remotely and can be viewed on YouTube.

“The main difference from when I was a student in the program to now...is the broadcast journalism class and Tiger TV...This wasn't even a thing over ten years ago,” Mr. Marcus Gay, the broadcast journalism instructor, said.

The department constantly evolves due to the hard work and dedication of its past directors, Mr. Charlie Snell and Mr. Peter Higgins and its current instructors, Mr. Jacques, Mr. Gay, Mr. Gregory Thompson, and Ms. Meaghan Kirby. In addition, students can get involved in transforming their education by joining the broadcasting executive board.

“Each year the broadcasting staff works together to review the previous year's curriculum and determine what changes need to be made... We try to incorporate new projects...and stay up to date with the latest industry-standard software and equipment to provide the best resources for our students,” Mr. Jacques said.

In the program, students can also participate in film and audio competitions like the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awards, Skills USA or Taunton High’s new Golden Tiger Awards. Student achievement in these competitions continues to flourish with the increase in equipment and technology the broadcasting department has to offer.

“As we have added additional equipment, we have been able to ask more of our students in their projects... Staying up to date with software has also allowed our students to try to incorporate new ideas they may see on TV or YouTube,” Mr. Jacques said.

Going beyond traditional education, the program has grown into a family. It cultivates communication, teamwork and leadership skills.

“I like to refer to the atmosphere in the TV studio and the broadcasting department like one large extended family. Our students work together as a team to complete tasks whether in small groups or large field production events...We know that we have each other's back when someone may need assistance in the class or in their everyday life,” Mr. Jacques said.

The broadcasting department at THS constantly strives for advancement in all its aspects. Keep connected and help the program expand further by tuning in to the Taunton Educational Network on Comcast channel 9 or Verizon channel 23, or by watching student produced Tiger TV on the department’s YouTube channel: THS Tiger TV.