By Tanner Nelson
Did you know the Department of Communication sponsors an annual summer day camp to give high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to dive right into their communication passions?
Jim Alchediak explains production techniques
Photo Credit: Robert Bell
At the first camp, held last summer, students learned about television production, broadcast performance and presentational speaking skills. The next camp will be July 18–22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, and Camp Director Jim Alchediak, senior lecturer in the department who teaches video production, predicts there will be another good turnout this year. He is looking forward to learning how the camp will impact the lives of the next generation of communication professionals. Alchediak and Dean Phillips, undergraduate internship program coordinator and senior lecturer in the department, founded the camp hoping to get students learning and working in the TV studio.
Dean Phillips advises the talent
Photo Credit: Robert Bell
Phillips teaches broadcast performance, while Alchediak focuses on television production. They also thought it would be beneficial to have a public speaking component because presentational speaking skills are essential in the TV world, so Elizabeth Nelson, teaching assistant professor and COM 110 director, teaches this part of the camp.
Last year, the camp exceeded expectations. The instructors came up with the perfect recipe for the five-day camp experience, and it was a hit. “Amazingly, it all worked very well,” said Alchediak. He explained that the first day of the camp entails a lot of lectures. The students also get a studio tour and learn about different crew positions. The second day is focused on a mock newscast. Throughout the week, students are also asked to write their own newscasts. There are intense scripting sessions to review and perfect them. “Writing is re-writing,” said Alchediak.
At the end of the camp, parents are invited to watch their young aspiring producers put into action everything they’ve learned. Alchediak said, “My favorite part of it is working with students and seeing them discover and enjoy these tools. It can be a lot of fun to learn, for example, how a video switcher works.”
Campers got lots of hands-on experience
Photo Credit: Robert Bell
He also mentioned that some students from the 2015 camp shared their excitement about discovering a path to a profession. One student said that the work they did and the discoveries
they made at camp made them want to know more. “When you get that kind of feedback, you want to do even more,” said Alchediak.
This summer, 14 students will attend the five-day television production workshop. The cost of the camp is $400, and those who register early will receive a $25 discount. Registration opens Thursday, March 10. The application process requires a parent’s signature and a recommendation from a school administrator or designated teacher. The link to register can be found on the department’s website.