News » Youth In-Focus: Catalina High School

Article Written by- Students

On 11/16/2007 a group of students from Catalina High School went to Access Tucson to see how a television studio works. These students had each been working on projects at school that involved videos teaching social skills. The students make the videos on topics such as bullying, communication, impulse control and anger management. They learn from making the videos and then show the videos to other students who enjoy watching and learning from videos made by their peers. The students wanted to make a production about these projects and show some of the video clips. But it was a lot harder than we expected. The video clips did not work as planned and there is still some editing to do to get a DVD production made. Here are the impressions and comments of the students about this experience.

Behind the scenes students:

Alan Keeme and Alyssa Capps

Camera person –
The camera was really big and hard to control. There were lots of buttons and gadgets. The zooming was challenging and also the focusing. I have used the smaller cameras in my video class at school but this was very different. I had fun trying to make the people on camera laugh while we were waiting for the video clips to start.

Alyssa Capps – In charge of video clips
I had to work really, really fast. It was hard trying to start the tapes at the right place that fast. There were three of us trying to do it, but the tapes kept starting at the wrong place. The people in the studio waiting for the video didn’t know what to say or do.

Alan Keeme – Sound person
It was pretty OK. I liked the camera before we started, getting to see myself on screen. I think I messed up the sound part several times. I knew what to do but it was hard to get the right sound level and keep it there. I was surprised we might be on TV and I feel a little famous. So if you see me on the street, I’ll give you my autograph.

People on camera:

Chris Delacorte, Rose Hebert, Clara Fortson, and Jacob Hatley

Jacob Hatley
I did a video at school about communication skills and also one about anger management. I’m just trying to do something for ourselves and other students and it gives me something for my resume. I want a career in film editing. Going to the studio was interesting. It was very different. I’ve never seen anything like it – a live TV studio. I have a better understanding now. I like how you can put anything off the internet in the background and how you can put the internet on TV.

Clara Fortson
I’m working on a video at school this year for autistic students. We demonstrate good skills and bad skills and show them the video and they identify whether the skill is good or bad. They always get it right. I liked the part in the studio where Lisa was helping us make the background and telling us how to do it and make it better. I also liked how she played with the microphone and talked to people in the studio. I look at TV differently now. I was watching the Simpsons the other night and thinking they didn’t plan that right. They weren’t filming the dog’s face while he was talking.

Rose Hebert – Talk Show Host
It was pretty much awesome. We got to do something most people don’t get to do everyday, like make our own show. We learned how to be mature in a certain place and not go over the limit or act up, but be serious to get something done. I think everyone was in awe of the camera. I was shocked at how much needs to get done in a TV studio. You don’t just press record. There is the sound and the microphones and the lighting and the other people in the technical booth. I have started appreciating how much work goes into one TV show like the news when they have to do it all in 30 minutes.

Chris Delacorte
We are making a video at school trying to help kids figure out what is right and wrong and to stay out of gang violence. I liked getting to go to the TV station to talk about what we were doing at school. It was a contrast between school and life. In the studio we didn’t get to do anything over again if we made a mistake. We had one shot to get it right. It was a great experience to try something new. I made lyrics for the production to send a message based on what happens in real life to keep kids out of trouble and give them a better environment. The sound got messed up so I would like to include my lyrics in this.

Street Life Lyrics

It’s a cool world out up in these streets…
and what I’m sayin we ain’t plain when we in these streets.
We go hard, go harder, go harder, go hard in these streets.
Cause you know I’m a star, we live thugs man, we so hard, so hard, WHAT!

Tell me what I’m, sayin, we ain’t payin.
This ain’t a game when I’m saying we don’t play by the rules.
And your boy Nick P. got me all on the news.
Talkin bout gang violence just ain’t for you ain’t it,
ain’t cool when you don’t stay in school.
Tryin to look good with your gang impression, you ain’t getting no where son.
They just tellin you lies, trying to say they got your back but you know that’s a lie,
The gangs, guns and drugs ain’t gonna get you nowhere,
But a bullet in your head or in a 10 X 10 cell,
And the only ones who there is your family and that’s real.
So listen homies, education comes first,
And forget about the streets and then you’ll be a real G…


Chris Delacorte