A new class has been introduced this year to help with the rise in social media and digital production for Homewood High School athletics.
Aside from social media production, this course will improve the media being presented on the jumbotron and the new digital sports table located in the lunchroom.
“These new technology advances have provided an avenue to create content to promote athletics, students and teams,” said Elijah Garrison, one of the sports media teachers.
Each student produces sports graphics displayed on the Homewood High School sports social media accounts.
Winston Jones, a student in the class, said the students create a variety of graphics.
“Our job is to make graphics to inform everyone when the games are, what the scores were, player of the week, and several other things,” said Jones.
At the beginning of the year, students were divided into teams to create graphics for in-season sports. Right now the class creates graphics for volleyball, football, flag football and cross country, Garrison said.
The class uses Gipper to produce graphics, which is very user-friendly. There are many different templates students can choose from. It is easy to incorporate photos, use text boxes, change color and many other features.
Three teachers contribute to this class in different ways. The course is held in Rebecca Shield’s classroom and she helps with the technology. Rick Baguley has played a significant role with the Jumbotron. Garrison says he helps with social media as he is the “younger guy.”
Having multiple teachers is helpful as they can give feedback for many different sports, have lots of information about sports schedules and have multiple perspectives, Jones said.
Most of the work regarding the Jumbotron is done before football games. However, three new cameras will video the field and stands and be presented on the new Jumbotron during football games.
There are two stationary cameras videoing the field and one handheld camera. Two of the students in the class will control the handheld camera.
This camera will record the student sections and the stands. two students will sign up to control the camera before each football game. They are on the sidelines taking photos and videos to get highlight reels, media for social media and to produce content for the jumbotron.
“I think it’s cool for students to have control over media since in the past it has always been an athletic director,” Jones said. “It’s cool for students to have influence over that.”
