CALDWELL, ID — Vallivue High School has been empowering students with the skills they need to succeed in the industry. Vallivue Video is the student-run TV station at Vallivue High School.
Not only do they produce a daily newscast using industry-level equipment, but they also learn skills that can help them in any profession once they join the workforce.
Yovany Alcantar is one of the producers of the daily newscast. Alcantar said, “I think this class has given me a lot of experience to go into this type of work field right away out of high school.”
The program is overlooked by video teacher Derek Self. When Self started the beginning video class back in 2017 he says he had no idea how much his program would grow in the coming years.
For the last 6 years, the program has started producing daily newscasts as well as live-streaming events, shows, and even sporting events. It is at the point Self said, that he just lets the students run the operation on their own.
Vallivue Video is built upon two separate classes. The student-run TV station produces a daily newscast called VSPN that is aired live on YouTube.
Much of that work mirrors the daily grind of a professional television station.
Alcantar’s job is to work with his classmates to prep the show by building graphics and making sure all pieces are in order. Taylor Shaw, another producer in Alcantar's class, believes that having set deadlines, helps create a drive and focus on creating a quality product.
“I like doing all the scripting, making sure stories are in. I think it is really good to have live broadcasts and to have set deadlines so that we know where we are in the show,” said Shaw.
Marcos Bruno Barajas is looking to a future in journalism and tells me having access to this kind of equipment is a gift. Without this equipment, Barajas says that it would not be possible to be prepared for what you do in the profession.
However, the hands-on experience is not the only gift. The teamwork-oriented environment is also a huge takeaway for many of these students.
Alyssa Sandoval does not plan on continuing into the broadcast industry but knows the many skills she has learned will be of help in whatever career she chooses.
Sandoval explained, “It really can translate to all different fields just because of the core basics. Time management skills, managing, being under management, stress, and pressure.”
As the program continues to grow, you can see what the Vallivue Video team is up to by checking them out on YouTubeorInstagram.
