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How North Fork high school students get real-world TV broadcasting experience — in Southold High School’s own TV studio

Southold High School is home to one of just a handful of broadcast television studios in a high school on the island. Photo: Denise Civiletti.

What began as one superintendent’s dream to bring 21st century learning to his small-town school district has blossomed into a state-of-the-art television studio at Southold High School, complete with professional equipment, computers and editing software.

And it all started with a GoFundMe campaign.

“Our students need to have a skill set that involves creativity, collaboration and communication,” Greenport and Southold school superintendent David Gamberg explained in a 2014 video posted to GoFundMe. “We see [creating a television studio] as part of a bigger picture that all Southold students should be able to experience… the opportunities for students are really endless.”

The campaign, which began in November 2014 to fund the creation of SOHO TV, would go on to collect $2,905, an amount that was matched by an outside donor to bring the final funds for the in-house TV studio to more than $5,000.

“We were able to use that money to buy some cameras, some computers and editing software,” said Jason Wesnofske, one of two teachers involved in the class. “Before that, we were using iPads and phones, editing on iMovie — making something out of nothing — it was pretty cool.”

Wesnofske was approached a few years ago by Gamberg with his idea for a 21-century television studio. Wesnofske, who was a woodworking teacher at the time, was surprised but enthusiastic about the concept.

“I had some computer background, and knew a little photography and editing. He said ‘you’re the man for the job’ and that was it,” Wesnofske said. “The show was on the road.”

The ‘show’ today is a five- to 10-minute broadcast, filmed, edited and produced entirely by 24 students from Southold and Greenport. And while they may have been getting by with limited technology in the program’s first year, the fundraising plus grants through State Senator Ken LaValle and additional funding by the district has allowed SOHO TV to expand further and more quickly than its creators had hoped.

“It’s been a huge transformation,” Wesnofske said.

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Seniors Nolan Renshaw (left) and Paige Messana (right) are producers of the broadcast news show, which puts up videos every Friday.

The students come in every day to write skits and news stories, film them using professional camcorders and edit them into packages using Final Cut Pro, an industry-standard editing software.

“They work very hard,” Wesnofske said of his students. “At the end of the week they have something to show. I’ve never had a class where the kids get to show you what they’ve done each and every week.”

“It’s a good platform to start from to learn the business,” student Nolan Renshaw said. “I plan to go into directing, so this is great experience.”

Renshaw and Paige Messana, who are both seniors, were the anchors of SOHO TV in its first
year. Now they’ve moved behind the scenes, taking on a hands-on roll and becoming producers.

“We already had some experience, we knew how things were supposed to run,” Messana explained. “People didn’t want to [be a producer] because it was a lot of responsibility, but we said, ‘why not?’

In its first year, SOHO TV produced six broadcasts. So far this year, 13 episodes have aired.

“It’s great to see how it’s taking off and getting attention,” Messana said. “It’s exciting to see it do so well.”

With Renshaw and Messana producing the show, the mantle of anchor has since been taken up by another pair: juniors Connor Vaccariello and Sean Okula, who have known each other since kindergarten. The chemistry between the two friends is undeniable; it’s hard to keep a smile off your face watching the energy between them as they jump from joke to joke, goofing around and making each other laugh between takes.

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Connor Vaccariello and Sean Okula, both juniors, are two of SOHO TVs anchors.

“It’s fun because they give you unlimited creative potential,” Vaccariello said. “They unleash you to do whatever you want to do, they don’t hold you back.”

Vaccariello and Okula clearly appreciate the creative freedom; most recently the two received dance lessons from the school’s teachers and gave a performance in the auditorium for a skit. And while other students may have shied away from busting a move or two in front of a camera — moves which were “not very good,” Vaccariello admits — the pair seem to enjoy the spotlight.

“Everyone sees the broadcast,” Okula said, explaining that the shows are played in every class first period on Fridays. “You get a little glimpse into celebrity life.”

But celebrity isn’t the only thing these students are gaining. The class has partnered with Suffolk County Community College, earning students college art credits. The class, made up of 24 students, currently has eight who are getting a head-start on their college career.

Since the class is college-level, it is only open to juniors and seniors, something which Wesnofske is somewhat thankful for because of the high level of interest.

“We could have had two sections this year, there was so much interest in this class,” he said. “But the kids we have are really driven to be here.

“They know they have to get it done each week and that keeps them going,” Wesnofske explained. “A few of them called me on Veterans Day to ask if they could come in to school to work on their packages. I said, ‘are you serious?’ They just said, ‘we have a deadline.’”

The young teacher grins, seeming just as excited as the students he is describing.

“The energy in this class is unbelievable.”

Check out SOHO TV’s latest broadcast:

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Courtney Blasl
Courtney is a freelance photographer, videographer, web designer and writer. She is a lifelong Riverhead resident.