VIN'S PEOPLE: Manatee School Television ramps up with real world career and tech education
Manatee School Television’s scholastic sports coverage, showcased by MSTV’s "Game of the Week," is moving from fall to winter athletics, but its educational objective remains.
Especially behind the camera.
“The community is not only getting to see these student-athletes on the playing field, but students are getting real world experience outside the classroom,” said Matt Messenger, MSTV supervisor of television services. “They’re running cameras, working live productions, pulling cables, giving them that next step students in other counties may not be getting.”
While other county high schools also have TV curricula, Messenger credited Southeast’s award-winning SETV as a big influence.
“I think people saw what Southeast was doing – SETV’s got field equipment and been doing live production for years – and said, ‘Why don’t we ramp this up? Expand our career and tech education?’”
MSTV’s "Game of the Week" was, in Messenger’s words, “A bit of an undertaking to get off the ground and get it looking professional,” but it is remarkably good in its production and in the broadcast with Skip Wilhoit, the Coordinator of Safe Schools, and Palmetto High ESE teacher Chris Conboy, a former Manatee High assistant football coach. See vimeo.com/manateeschools.
“We have one set of field equipment we’re taking to each location. The uniqueness is we’re relying on students from the host school to run the camera, graphics or whatever. It’s the first time some have ever done a live football game.
“Down the road, once we’ve got this built up, our goal is to have a consistent crew of students who travel and get more involved.”
In front of the camera, too.
“So far none have shown interest in doing play-by-play or color commentary. I’m sure they’re out there. Once we start gaining some traction with this, we’ll find them and they’ll find us.”
• Congrats to Southeast Homecoming Queen, Melanie Mirnaya, and King, Jacob Blankenhorn.
• Carol Grantham is 39. Again.
• So is Michelle McCarthy.
• And Carolyn Keller.
• Equipment Technician Mike Greer, Administrative Assistant Sherry Hall and Surgical Assistant Shirley Haynes, marked 25 years at Manatee Memorial Hospital.
• Tom Radakovitz is 62.
• Big ups to Braden River High girls volleyball, repeat district champions after sweeping Port Charlotte in three sets, and sweeping Naples in regional quarterfinals before bowing out in a five-set nail-biter to Kissimmee Osceola in the region semifinals.
Coach Matthew McElhiney’s Pirates are seniors Emma Apgar, Rylee Buckner, Carys Crombie, Maddy Dodson, Hannah Ferguson, Courtney Kawcak and Liana Nesser, juniors Ericka Freeman, Rylee Hinkle, Mary Allison McGuire, Brynna Sands and Aryanna Spainhower, sophomores Jaliyah Elder and Baylee Hinkle, and freshman Chloe Pogoda.
• And Grant Jefferies is 66.
Vin’s People runs Sundays. Email Vin Mannix at vinspeople@gmail.com. Or call 941-962-5944. Twitter: @vinmannix.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: VIN MANNIX: MSTV puts focus on real world career and tech education
