The 5th Annual Mascot Media Broadcast Awards
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Next Step: Tune in for the Results
Join us on April 11th at 10:00am CST for the awards ceremony. We will announce the winners and showcase some of the incredible videos submitted by schools nationwide. It’s a celebration of the dedication and talent behind high school sports broadcasts. REGISTER TO WATCH
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Winners' Recognition
Winners will be featured on our website and social media platform and also receive an exclusive awards package, to recognize their outstanding contribution to high school sports broadcasting. It’s time for your school to gain national recognition!
PLAY OF THE YEAR
From Hail Marys, and game-winning hits, to scoring the winning point as the buzzer sounds, this is an award that recognizes the most outstanding play of the year.
Christian Brothers Academy | Middletown, NJ
The CBA Broadcasting Team should win this award because this moment during the wrestling match not only was the 'match winner' but determined the number one team in the conference at the same time. The CBA Wrestling Team is one of the most celebrated teams at the Academy, and this evening, the attendance was one of the largest in recent history. The Colts were down by 20 with four matches to go and a near improbability to win. They began to come back on the #1 ranked St. John Vianney Lancers and it came down to the final match where junior Tyler Palumbo needed a pin to win the match for the Colts. The energy within the gymnasium was palpable as a comeback was almost complete. People watching the livestream were on the edge of their seat when they hear the emotion in the announcers voice. Palumbo did the unthinkable and pinned the opponent, winning the match for the Colts. The gym erupted, the coaches were ecstatic, the utter disbelief in the announcers voice could be felt by listeners. Palumbo did the unthinkable and pinned his opponent in a walk-off victory, winning the match for the Colts.
Fairland High School | Proctorville, OH
The Miracle in Portsmouth -- Fairland's Unforgettable Finish
On October 24, 2024, under the bright lights of the Downtown Portsmouth Coliseum, the Fairland Dragons delivered one of the most electrifying moments in school history. Trailing the Portsmouth Trojans 21-14 with mere seconds left, Fairland's hopes seemed to be slipping away. Then, chaos turned into opportunity.
On 3rd down from the 45-yard line, the Dragons launched a desperation pass downfield, drawing a crucial pass interference penalty as time expired. With no time left on the clock, Fairland had one final chance from the 30-yard linea moment destined to be legendary.
Quarterback Ethan Wall took the snap, dropped back, and fired a high-arching pass into the end zone, searching for his go-to target, Keegan Smith. This is where the Play of the Year happened. With defenders draped all over him, Keegan showcased unbelievable athleticism, leaping above multiple Trojans with an NFL-caliber jump. He extended his arms, fought through contact, and miraculously secured the ball while falling to the turf, completing one of the most jaw-dropping, high-pressure catches in Fairland history. The crowd erupted, and for a moment, it felt like time stood still.
The Dragons were within one point, but with their kicker unavailable, the game rested on a do-or-die two-point conversion. With the season and OVC title on the line, Wall delivered a quick slant pass once again to Keegan Smith, who secured it with ice in his veins, sealing a dramatic 22-21 victory. The win not only cemented Fairland as OVC champions but also catapulted them higher in the state rankings.
This wasn't just a play. It was THE play. A moment of pure determination, athleticism, and heart, one that will be talked about for years to come.
Harvest Preparatory Academy | Yuma, AZ
We are proud to present our case for why our newly established broadcasting club at Harvest Preparatory Academy deserves this prestigious award. As a low-income school serving a predominantly Hispanic student body, we face unique challenges, yet we embody resilience and creativity in our pursuit of excellence in media production. In a school with limited resources, every achievement comes with considerable effort. Our club has had to innovate and adapt with minimal supplies, using creativity and teamwork to produce engaging content. Despite these obstacles, our students have shown remarkable dedication, learning skills such as video editing, scripting, and journalism through hands-on experiences rather than conventional means. This award would not only bring recognition to our hard work but also provide crucial support to enhance our resources and capabilities.
Manalapan High School | Englishtown, NJ
Bravecast: Manalapan High School vs. Saint John Vianney High School Football Broadcast
Bravecast play-by-play commentator, Evan Zaretsky, enthusiastically commentated during an intense overtime matchup between Manalapan High School and Saint John Vianney on homecoming night! Quarterback Ryan Dougherty throws the ball to Anthony Hammel in the end zone, resulting in the game-winning two-point conversion for Manalapan.
Behind the Scenes: The technology behind the live football broadcast is an extensive process that starts in the week leading up to the game. Beginning in a Vector Editing software, our team designs the scoreboard, which is programmed to display each of the teams that are playing. Once created, this scoreboard is imported into our broadcasting software, where it is controlled during the game by our Scoreboard Operator. Furthermore, our football broadcasts feature live play-by-play commentary by our Sports Anchors to keep our viewership engaged in the actual atmosphere, just as if they were at the game! Our broadcast features multiple camera angles fed into a multi-camera switcher, which outputs the display that the viewers see watching from home. Additionally, the microphones are fed into a soundboard, which is then directly linked to our multi-camera switcher, providing that commentary directly to the viewership. When this all comes together, the broadcast is streamed live to our Hudl TV, and the process continues as the game progresses.
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy | Philadelphia, PA
OH, WHAT A GOAL! BICYCLE KICK GOAL FROM PAT DONAHUE!
It was Senior Night for the Hillers Soccer team. Trailing by one, sophomore Lev Eskin centered the ball into the box it deflected to junior Pat Donahue, who promptly did a backflip while depositing the ball into the top of the net. As broadcasters Brendan Flatow and Sam Bevan agreed during the instant replay, this was no doubt a Top 5 Play of the Week.
This incredible play ended up earning our top spot in the Top 5 Plays of the Week Show, but it might just be the play of the decade.
EVENT OF THE YEAR
An event that broke a record, hosted a stadium-packed rivalry or provided an experience that regular streamed events don't offer.
Barron Collier High School | Naples, FL
Barron Collier should win this award because this was an amazing event hosted by the FHSAA! The FHSAA state championship game hosted at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex was an incredible time for our fan bus, parents, players, and staff. Our boys soccer team won the class 4A state championship and it was such an amazing celebration. Our marketing teacher made signs for the kids to hang up on the railing and also small mini jersey signs for our kids to hold that traveled on our fan bus. This was such a cool experience and our schools second state championship since I arrived in 2022. This was definitely one of those events that will never be forgotten.
Basha High School | Chandler, AZ
Excited to share with you our Event of the Year. Our broadcast of the Open Playoffs where Basha High School takes on the ALA Eagles. An amazing basketball livestream that was student lead. From our commentators, sideline reporter, producers, directors and photographers... it was an incredible production. For high school students to put on this type of event is the reason we should win this award!
Christian Brothers Academy | Middletown, NJ
Christian Brothers Academy deserves this award for our outstanding broadcast of a truly unique hockey game. We covered the annual CBA vs. La Salle Academy matchup, which takes place outdoors at Navesink Country Club. This unique setting allows parents and friends to watch from the clubhouse, creating a great atmosphere. Despite the cold, our team delivered a stellar call, capturing both the excitement of the game and the unique storylines surrounding it. Ultimately, we provided a high-quality broadcast of a memorable event, making it a standout event for our team this year and for years to come.
Fairland High School | Proctorville, OH
Fairland vs. Chesapeake: The Battle for the OVC: A Historic Rivalry Showdown
On February 7, 2025, the Carl York Gym at Fairland became the epicenter of an unforgettable basketball showdown as the Fairland Dragons faced off against their longtime rivals, the Chesapeake Panthers, in a battle for the OVC Championship. With history on the line, this second meeting of the season mirrored the intensity of their first double-overtime thriller at Chesapeake. In an almost unreal deja vu moment, this game also extended into double overtime, with the Dragons emerging victorious once again to claim the OVC outright.
The energy inside the gym was electric. A packed house, standing-room overflow in the cafeteria, and an online audience of 3,200 live viewers made this event more than just a game, it was an experience. The FDN Network delivered an immersive broadcast, deploying five cameras to capture every pulse-pounding moment. Two wireless cameras, operated by student videographers, brought fans onto the court, while additional angles provided wide shots, close-ups, and an inside look at our dynamic play-by-play team, The Codgers.
Beyond the action on the hardwood, this production was a testament to student-led excellence. From video switching to audio mixing, live on-screen graphics to camera operation, every element of the broadcast was powered by the hard work and passion of our student crew. The atmosphere was electric, fueled by the roar of the fans, the energy of the cheerleaders, the pulse of the pep band, and the dedication of our broadcast team.
Harvest Preparatory Academy | Yuma, AZ
We are proud to present our case for why our newly established broadcasting club at Harvest Preparatory Academy deserves this prestigious award. As a low-income school serving a predominantly Hispanic student body, we face unique challenges, yet we embody resilience and creativity in our pursuit of excellence in media production. In a school with limited resources, every achievement comes with considerable effort. Our club has had to innovate and adapt with minimal supplies, using creativity and teamwork to produce engaging content. Despite these obstacles, our students have shown remarkable dedication, learning skills such as video editing, scripting, and journalism through hands-on experiences rather than conventional means. This award would not only bring recognition to our hard work but also provide crucial support to enhance our resources and capabilities.
Manalapan High School | Englishtown, NJ
2024 Spooktacular Window Painting Contest Coverage
Every year, Downtown Freehold hosts a district-wide window painting contest where students compete and showcase their artistic abilities. Manalapan Bravecast produced coverage of the event.
We started in pre-production by scriptwriting and planning interview questions. During production, we connected with each interviewee, providing a platform for them to share their entire thought and creative process. Our segment allowed us to showcase not only the final artworks but also the personal stories and inspirations behind each piece of art. Through strategic B-Roll filming, we covered every angle of the artwork creation process — from initial sketches to the final masterpieces. In post-production, the editing process began with a rough cut. We trimmed down the interviews and arranged them chronologically to tell a story. Audio adjustments were then made, followed by importing B-Roll shots to enhance the viewer's understanding of the artwork and overall competition. The next step was color correction; we added saturation, contrast, and an appropriate LUT to enhance the video. Along with this, upbeat background music was chosen to give the video an exciting and engaging feel.
By covering this event, students involved in the production gained invaluable insights into the various steps required to produce a remote segment.
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy | Philadelphia, PA
A capacity crowd was on hand for a much anticipated boys basketball game. This wasn’t just any game, though; it was both Senior Night and Silent Night. The broadcast of this game included a 90 minute pregame show, live play-by-play, interviews, a halftime show, and a 30 minute postgame show. The atmosphere was electric all night, and it was capped off when Senior Keni Williams hammered down a breakaway dunk at the buzzer, prompting the student section to rush the floor and celebrate the big win!
Sterling High School | Somerdale, NJ
This is live broadcast of our State semi-final soccer game in which our team upset a mega-power team. In the game our team went 2 men down and won the game with large crowd of students involved. As a result of the win the school would play for the 1st State title since 1976.
BEST SCHOOL-RUN BROADCAST TEAM
The school team with high-quality camerawork, unwavering dedication, and sophisticated graphics that deserves to be recognized.
- Basha High School
- Bentonville West High School
- Brooklyn Friends School
- Carroll High School
- Christian Brothers Academy
- Fairland High School
- Fountain Inn High School
- Franklin-Simpson High School
- Manalapan High School
- Mascoma Valley Regional High School
- Rich Township High School
- Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
- Sterling High School
- Stevenson High School
- Taylorville High School
- Windsor High School
Basha Bear Network | Basha High School | Chandler, AZ
The Basha Bear Network Sports team is a student run multi-cam broadcast. The high quality broadcast includes student broadcasters, photographers, editors and producers. The show also includes a Pre and Post Game show call "Inside the Den". It's a livestream that keeps all entertained!
Carroll High School TV Department | Carroll High School | Fort Wayne, IN
We are one of the best groups in the state of Indiana, if not the country. We are entirely student-run and have had multiple students go to the next level, including Ball State Sports Link and IU MEDIA School, as well as B10 Student U at Purdue. We stream as many events as possible at the highest quality we can.
CBA Digital Network | Christian Brothers Academy | Lincroft, NJ
Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) is home to what many consider the best school-run broadcast team, and it’s easy to see why. The team is made up of passionate, talented students who truly care about sports and media. Every broadcast — whether it’s a high-energy basketball game, an exciting wrestling match, or a school event — is filled with their enthusiasm and dedication. The students aren’t just pushing buttons behind the scenes; they’re creating a top-notch experience for their viewers, thanks to the high-quality technology and resources available to them.
What sets them apart, though, is their commitment to more than just the technical side of broadcasting. The team is known for its insightful commentary and thoughtful analysis, making each broadcast engaging and relatable for the audience. Beyond that, CBA fosters a culture of teamwork and collaboration, encouraging everyone to learn and grow together. Whether they’re working in front of the camera or behind it, students continually improve their skills. With this combination of passion, skill, and teamwork, CBA’s broadcast team is a standout, setting a high bar for school-run broadcasts everywhere.
FDN Network | Fairland High School | Proctorville, OH
FDN Network: A New Generation Rises to the Challenge
The 2024-2025 school year was a defining moment for the Fairland Dragons Network (FDN). With over 95% of the previous broadcast team graduating, a new generation of students, primarily freshmen and sophomores with little to no experience, had to step up and continue the legacy of high-quality production that our viewers expect.
With just one week to prepare before the first football game, these students faced a daunting challenge. Yet, without hesitation, they rose to the occasion, diving into the complexities of live broadcasting, learning the equipment, mastering production software, and refining their skills in real time. What started as a trial by fire quickly became a testament to their dedication and adaptability.
Game by game, this new team improved, proving their ability to produce top-tier broadcasts. Some students found their passion in operating cameras, capturing dynamic and immersive angles. Others excelled in backend production, ensuring smooth transitions, clear audio, and professional-quality video switching. Meanwhile, our graphics team brought the broadcast to life with sophisticated, real-time sports visuals that enhanced the viewer experience.
Through commitment, teamwork, and an unbreakable drive to maintain FDN’s reputation for excellence, this group transformed from rookies into a polished, high-functioning broadcast
INNvision | Fountain Inn High School | Fountain Inn, SC
This is the 4th year of our high school and our media tech program building and teaching the students all with media production. Last year they started broadcast of a few football and basketball games and expanded that to all of our sports. Jeff Hoffman is the media tech teacher.
FS Channel 9 | Franklin-Simpson High School | Franklin, KY
They are the best around in our region for school broadcasting in my opinion. They are at all of our Home games and many of our away games. They connect in to our play by play radio station and it provides an upscale feel when watching the games. They graphics for the score have become updated over the years, and now they've incorporated in town commercials to promote our businesses in our town of Franklin. They just do an amazing job for a high school ran broadcasting team.
Manalapan Bravecast | Manalapan High School | Englishtown, NJ
Bravecast: Manalapan High School's Broadcast Production Program
Welcome to the Manalapan Bravecast, Manalapan High School's student-run broadcast production program that airs LIVE every Friday morning within the School and surrounding community. The Bravecast serves as a weekly school update, featuring student achievements, sports statistics, extracurricular information, and upcoming events to foster school involvement within our community.
The week of production starts on Monday with our production meetings during lunch, where the team reviews the scheduled segments and assigns roles to each student within the program. These roles include editing, scriptwriting, graphic design, photography, and filming, ensuring that every aspect of the broadcast is carefully planned and executed. On Tuesday, the script team gathers student highlights and important announcements that will be featured in the upcoming broadcast. Simultaneously, the sports journalism team begins researching and collecting stats to provide up-to-date coverage of Manalapan's athletics. By Wednesday, the team is hard at work. The sports team films the weekly Bravecast Sports Report, the script team prepares the script, and the graphic design department creates the visuals that will enhance the broadcast.
Meanwhile, the editors begin assembling the segments, ensuring smooth transitions, polished footage, and a professional final product. Thursday is dedicated to rehearsal, where the team runs through the show twice to fine-tune every detail and ensure a seamless live production. Finally, on Friday morning at 7:30, the team arrives early, ready to go LIVE to the school community, delivering a professional and engaging broadcast to keep Manalapan High School informed and connected.
Bravecast reaches large audiences by airing daily on Verizon channel 42 and Optimum channel 77 at 9 AM and 9 PM, ensuring that the Manalapan community stays informed and engaged. This extended viewership allows students, parents, and faculty to stay connected and informed about the latest happenings at Manalapan High School.
On a daily basis, these students take on real-world experiences out in the field, gathering and producing event coverage that airs on the weekly broadcast and beyond. From capturing the excitement of plays and musicals to live-streaming football games, the Bravecast team is always present, ensuring that Manalapan High School's most memorable moments are shared with the community. As our Supervisor of Extracurricular Activities stated, To put it simply, Bravecast is the nucleus of the school. It's incredible and inspiring to see a group of students working together to promote and strengthen our school community. Whether it's showcasing athletic achievements or celebrating the arts, Bravecast is the driving force behind it all, ensuring every event is highlighted and appreciated.
Recognizing the achievements of students and faculty at Manalapan High School is a vital part of our program. Whether it’s celebrating academic excellence, athletic milestones, or outstanding contributions to extracurricular activities, the team makes sure these accomplishments are front and center on the broadcast. We also take the time to recognize the efforts of our faculty, from teachers who go above and beyond to support students to staff members who make a positive impact in the daily lives of the school community. By highlighting these achievements, the weekly broadcast creates a sense of pride and motivation throughout the school.
In addition to our live weekly broadcasts, Bravecast is recognized for its high-quality productions that extend beyond the studio. In collaboration with our district, middle schools, and elementary schools, the work of the Bravecast team is showcased throughout our surrounding community. These productions allow Bravecast to contribute to the larger school district, sharing essential messages and highlighting key moments.
The Bravecast program also offers invaluable learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom. The team had the unique opportunity to cover an event at the Prudential Center, where students had hands-on experience in a professional setting, learning how to produce real-time event coverage and the technical aspects of broadcasting in a large venue. Additionally, the team toured the NBC Studios, where students gained insight into the world of television production. These real-world opportunities provide students of the program with a deeper understanding of the industry, enhancing their skills and preparing them for careers in media and broadcasting.
At the heart of the Bravecast program is a deep sense of family. The students, staff, and faculty involved work together as a team, creating a supportive environment where everyone feels valued and motivated. This collaborative atmosphere allows each member to grow, learn, and contribute to the success of the broadcast. From production meetings to live shows, Bravecast has fostered a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose. The bonds formed through this program extend beyond the studio, creating lifelong friendships and memories that make Bravecast more than just a school news program; it's a family.
Mascoma AV Club | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Canaan, NH
Mascoma AV Club runs live productions, film, photography, student directed musical in addition to helping the Drama clubs production, live streams every school board meeting, deliberative session, town deliberative sessions and much more! Voted #1 AV Club in NH, the now 17 students in a small (less than 400 student) high school emphasizing the need for student produced productions. The hours and dedication that these students have put into learning and producing content is unbelievable.
GameTime Sports | Springside Chestnut Hill Academy | Philadelphia, PA
In his sophomore year Brendan Flatow came up with an idea to bring Sports Broadcasting to Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (SCH). By the time of his junior year Brendan was ready to launch the platform he named GameTime Sports. Now in his senior year, Brendan leads a team of passionate student broadcasters.
A GameTime Sports Broadcast includes analysis-filled pregame, halftime, and postgame shows, live play-by-play, sideline reporting, interviews with players and coaches, highlights, instant replay, multiple camera angles, and much more. Aside from the Game Day operations of a broadcast GameTime Sports also makes graphics and videos for SCH's teams. While also producing and editing high quality sit down interviews, weekly TV shows, and documentaries on SCH teams. GameTime Sports is committed to making sure that every team on campus has a broadcast, from the Football team to the Tennis teams, from the Basketball teams to the Squash teams, from the Baseball team to the Golf teams GameTime Sports assures no athlete is left out. GameTime Sports is fully student-run, and doesn't have a teacher directly assigned to the program meaning the students are in charge of making and managing money to purchase equipment, scheduling the broadcasts, and running them to their fullest potential.
In just two years of operations, under Brendan's leadership, GameTime Sports has broadcasted over 500 hours of games, with 700,000 viewers, and over $4,000 in advertising revenue generated from local businesses. At SCH GameTime Sports is Making High School Sports an All-Star Experience for Every Viewer!
SHS TV | Stevenson High School | Lincolnshire, IL
Earlier this school year, we were approached by Marquee Sports Chicago to collaborate on a football broadcast and a basketball broadcast. Our advisors and students were excited about the opportunity and instantly began planning. They conducted several zoom meetings with the Marquee Sports staff and pulled off two of the most amazing broadcasts for high school competitions. Marquee was so impressed with our student work that they have inquired about doing more of these in the future.
TommyTV | Taylorville High School | Taylorville, IL
The Taylorville High School's broadcast team is one of the best in the state, maybe even the country. They have many amazing people running behind the scenes and experienced students to teach the year 1 freshman. With amazing shots, awesome graphics, and consistent results, Taylorville High School should no doubt win this award.
Windsor Wizards Broadcasting Network | Windsor High School | Windsor, CO
The Windsor Wizards Broadcasting Network is a completely student-run broadcast network for Windsor High School. Through much experimentation and an incredible group of students on October 16 the Windsor Wizards Broadcasting Network was born. Going from 5 students per broadcast to now 12 the WWBN has broadcast over 120 Windsor high school activities including; football, Boys & Girls soccer, Boys & Girls basketball, Girls Volleyball, wrestling, Unified basketball and the Unified bowling conference & regional bowling championships, boys lacrosse and the schools talent shows as well as the schools annual Veterans Day assembly.
A WWBN broadcast features; two announcers, four camera operators, a director, a video replay operator and a graphics operator and a sideline reporter. All responsibilities for a broadcast are handled by students. The WWBN is both a class for credit and a club for students to earn a varsity letter. The WWBN currently has 1600 subscribers, viewers in 12 countries aside from the United States and over 130,000 views.
BROADCAST PRODUCTION MVP
Awarded to a person behind the camera that pursues excellence in their broadcast production endeavors.
Timothy Seale | Basha High School | Chandler, AZ
Timothy Seale is all things Basha and is incredibly dedicated to the Basha Bear Network. Tim should win the Broadcast Production MVP award due to his exceptional leadership and his passion to make every production an amazing one. From set up until the end of the production, Tim's dedication enhances the overall product. His commitment to consistently delivering high-quality broadcasts and shows, makes him an invaluable asset and a deserving candidate for this award.
Aidan McMenamy | Christian Brothers Academy | Lincroft, NJ
CBA is nominating Aidan McMenamy '26 as our Broadcast Production MVP, as he is the student behind the scenes who has helped make much of our content possible. Within the CBA Digital Network, McMenamy is the Video Manager, being responsible for much of the video content that comes out of our broadcasts and pre-taped segments. McMenamy produced highlight reels for all 10 of our home basketball broadcasts, as well as produced content for basketball media day and other special basketball segments. CBA Basketball is the most popular sport that our school broadcasts, so McMenamy has played a critical role in the publicity of the team and our broadcasts. McMenamy is also always quick to volunteer for broadcast production positions, such as cameraman or game producer. With a team-first attitude, he surely fits the definition of a behind-the-scenes MVP.
Wyatt Kraus | Fairland High School | Proctorville, OH
Wyatt Kraus: From Rookie to Leader: The Heart of FDN's Production
In just one year, sophomore Wyatt Kraus has gone from a newcomer to an essential part of the Fairland Dragons Network (FDN) broadcast team. When he first joined the Dragon's Eye Video Club, he was hesitant, unfamiliar with the equipment, and unsure of his role. But that quickly changed. The excitement and passion for broadcasting took over, and Wyatt immersed himself in every aspect of production, proving that dedication and hard work can turn inexperience into excellence.
While he has gravitated toward cameras, his contributions go far beyond capturing great shots. Wyatt has taken on a key role in pre-production, planning, and leadership, guiding his fellow students and ensuring that each broadcast runs smoothly. His problem-solving mindset and "yes-sir" attitude, likely influenced by his background as a volunteer firefighter with the Rome Township Fire Department, make him invaluable to the team. Instead of backing down from challenges, he steps up, finds solutions, and helps others do the same.
Following in the footsteps of last year's standout production MVP was no small task, but Wyatt has risen to the challenge and exceeded expectations. His commitment, leadership, and drive have set the foundation for what will undoubtedly be an incredible future with FDN. As he continues to grow within the program, there is no doubt that Wyatt will play a crucial role in making FDN the premier destination for live sports in the OVC and beyond.
For his dedication, leadership, and pursuit of excellence in broadcast production, Wyatt Kraus is the clear choice for Broadcast Production MVP.
Ford Atkinson | Lafayette High School | Oxford, MS
Ford Atkinson has always been committed to the job and learned how to stream since 8th grade to turn around and produce amazing livestreams in 10th Grades. He has worked a total of 100+ hours for every different types of events including Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Choir concerts, Soccer, School events, & Baseball streams.
Gracie Petner | Manalapan High School | Englishtown, NJ
Gracie Petner was one of the first students to join the Manalapan Bravecast program when it launched in 2021. As a freshman, she started as an equipment operator but quickly worked her way up within the program. She put several hours in both during and after school to ensure all aspects of the show were ready for our broadcast. She quickly became a leader who helped in building the foundation of the Bravecast that we know today. When the program was launched in 2021, we operated on a tape-to-live format. In December of 2021, we switched our broadcast to being live every Friday morning. Gracie was an integral part behind the scenes in launching this live format.
During her sophomore and junior years, Gracie gained a leadership role as one of the first producers within the program due to her hard work, dedication, and leadership abilities. This role required her to oversee all aspects of the broadcast during rehearsal and on air. Her commitment and passion continued to impress our students and staff. As a senior, Gracie continues her leadership role as the lead senior producer for our Manalapan Bravecast program. She oversees our live production, ensuring all production aspects are completed correctly prior to the live broadcast. Gracie runs our training sessions for the incoming students joining the program for the first time. She works exceptionally well with students who are nervous about being on camera for the first time, as they look up to her as a role model.
Gracie is a natural leader and is able to work well with her peers to ensure all elements are ready for each Friday's broadcast. She has become the person within our building as her reliability and dedication lead to her success in everything she works on. On most days, Gracie is the first student in the building and the last one to leave, putting in almost 14 hours a day to help her peers and better our school community.
Gracie's dedication and drive extend beyond the Bravecast program into her academic pursuits. Over her four years, she has been enrolled in Video Editing, Media Production 1 and 2, and Graphic Design 1 and 2 classes. In these classes, she has consistently demonstrated her incredible potential in design and innovation, applying a multitude of applications to the real world. Her intellect, problem-solving abilities, creativity, and drive to succeed in everything she does make her a standout student. Gracie's academic achievements are a testament to her well-roundedness and dedication, and they complement her work in the Bravecast program.
Gracie has also produced several large-scale productions along with her peers. One of the biggest productions Gracie was on the production team for took place during the summer of 2023. Gracie worked with her peers to develop, script, and produce an extremely extensive documentary about our Bravecast program with her fellow peers. This documentary took the audience into the shoes of students within the program, showcasing the behind-the-scenes aspects that go into the live studio broadcast our students produce each week. The crowd at the viewing of the premiere showcase included Manalapan High School staff, students, parents, administration, community members, and the Manalapan mayor. During the 2023 school year, Gracie worked with her peers to produce a short film for our school district that showcases our district's goals for our students. During the production, Gracie and her fellow producers went to each of the high schools in our district to capture each building and what it represents.
During the summer of 2024, alongside her peers, Gracie produced a segment for the elementary school to showcase the innovation a new budget provided to the students at that school. This current school year, Gracie just finalized the production of a short film played at the middle school that highlights our school community to the incoming class of 2029. This short film was premiered at the middle school to inform these students about all of the things to expect and look forward to as they transition to high school next year.
Throughout all of these productions, Gracie demonstrated an outstanding level of leadership, and her creativity really shined in bringing these productions to life. Gracie is a valuable asset to our program and strives each day to improve. Her input to the program will have a lasting impact on our students and staff within the community.
Brendan Flatow | Springside Chestnut Hill Academy | Philadelphia, PA
In his sophomore year Brendan Flatow came up with an idea to bring Sports Broadcasting to Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (SCH). Brendan spent the spring of his sophomore year spending countless hours researching, interviewing professionals in the field, and testing the product that he was building.
In his junior year Brendan was ready to launch the platform, which he named GameTime Sports. He began to broadcast every game he could and by the end of his junior year was very close to his goal of having every varsity home game broadcasted by students. Over the summer before his senior year Brendan knew that in order to broadcast every team and every game he would need to purchase new equipment. He set out on a mission to sell advertisements and made enough money to purchase the new equipment and improve the equipment he was using.
In just two years of operations, under Brendan's leadership, GameTime Sports has broadcasted over 500 hours of games, with 700,000 unique viewers, and over $4,000 in adverstising revenue generated from local businesses. While Brendan is not always on the mic he makes sure that every team from Football to Tennis, from Basketball to Squash, from Baseball to Golf has a broadcast! Aside from the Game Day operations of a broadcast Brendan also makes graphics and videos for SCH's teams. While also producing and editing high quality sit down interviews, Weekly TV shows, and documentaries on SCH teams.
Broadcasting at SCH is fully student run, and doesn't have a teacher directly assigned to the program. Brendan has been the MVP for our Broadcasting Program and hopes to leave a pathway for more SCH students to find their passion through Sports Broadcasting.
BROADCAST TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Designed to honor outstanding high school teachers and advisers for their dedication and achievement in teaching broadcast journalism, media, or film.
- John McElroy: Bentonville High School
- Tim Loreman: Central High School
- Jason Lutz: Christian Brothers Academy
- Joseph Gerardi: Manalapan High School
- Jerry Bell: Fairland High School
- Jeff Hoffman: Fountain Inn High School
- Bryan Allen: Siloam Springs High School
- Advisors Joe Pine, Scott Williams, Stacy Shub and Jason Carlson: Stevenson High School
- Adam Welton: Urban Prep Academies
John McElroy | Bentonville High School | Bentonville, AR
John McElroy does an outstanding job working with the student production team at Bentonville High School. This past year, he completed his 20th year at the "voice" of the Tigers on our broadcasts.
Tim Loreman | Central High School | Phenix City, AL
Mr. Tim Loreman is the teacher that oversees our media productions program. The classes coordinate and run many different sports broadcast and school events throughout the year. The program is has the largest following in the state of Alabama for a student run broadcast team on the NFHS network. Mr. Loreman and his students make hype videos, produce live games, produce live athlete signing days, along with many other school events.
His students have won many honors including a first place in documentary at the Southeast Emmy Awards. Several of Mr. Loreman's students have went onto to earn college internships in sports photography and digital media. The past 4 summers, the Alabama High School Athletic Association has partnered with Mr. Loreman and his students to produce the AHSAA All-Star Week. This consist of student athletes that have been selected throughout the state to participate in an All-Star game in Montgomery, Alabama. The CHS Broadcast team along with Mr. Loreman produce all of the games for the week. Students enter the program in the 9th grade and complete the course in the 12th grade.
Students can credential in Adobe premier, photoshop, in design, illustrator, and after effects. Mr. Loreman has been instrumental in guiding young minds and allowing them opportunities to find their niche.
He is an integral part of our Career Technical Department here at Central High School and would be an outstanding choice for Broadcast Teacher of the Year.
Jason Lutz | Christian Brothers Academy | Lincroft, NJ
Student Submission:
Mr. Jason Lutz is our Digital Network Leader while the only Broadcast journalism teacher at CBA, Mr.Lutz has influenced every single student in this program. The students may love being in Digital Network for the production part, but I would like to say that a lot of these students love also being the Digital Network just spending time with Mr.Lutz and how caring and supportive he is to this team. He is even there for you even when you're not doing something for Digital network, whether it be homework, a person talk all to, or just to hangout in his office. Mr. Lutz is also on top of everything, meaning he gets everything done very efficiently. He makes sure everyone has done their job when it comes to producing something, while even if they're struggling he will correct them and help them learn how to do it. He has influenced me in so many different aspects of producing, whether it be editing videos, being behind the camera, broadcasting on air, or even capturing the schools amazing sports in videos.
Joseph Gerardi | Manalapan High School | Englishtown, NJ
Student Submission:
Mr. Joseph Gerardi founded the Manalapan Bravecast in 2021. What began as a vision for a school-wide broadcast has since evolved entirely into a student-run, in-house production that airs LIVE every Friday morning. Under his leadership, the Bravecast has become a staple of our school community, providing students with hands-on experience in journalism, production, and broadcasting.
The initiative has not only enhanced the school's extracurricular offerings but has also gained external recognition. In 2024, Manalapan High School's broadcasting program, under Mr. Gerardi's direction, was honored with the Best School-Run Broadcast Program award by Mascot Media.
Mr. Gerardi's commitment to excellence is further reflected in the quality of the productions. A behind-the-scenes look at the Bravecast reveals the precise technical direction required to execute a live studio broadcast, highlighting the program's professionalism and the high standards set by Mr. Gerardi.
Through his efforts, Mr. Gerardi has not only built a state-of-the-art broadcasting studio from scratch but has also created a platform that empowers students, enriches the school community, and sets a benchmark for student-run broadcast programs.
What truly sets Mr. Gerardi apart is his dedication to the success of his students. He ensures that every student, regardless of their experience level, feels valued and encouraged to contribute. Whether it's about production or everyday life, Mr. Gerardi is a teacher who is always there to talk and offer advice to students. His ability to recognize the individual skills of each student creates a culture where students feel confident, supported, and inspired to push their creative boundaries.
Jerry Bell | Fairland High School | Proctorville, OH
Jerry Bell has revolutionized the Fairland Dragons Network (FDN), transforming it from a modest setup with a single camera and shared microphone into a professional-grade production featuring multiple cameras, dynamic graphics, instant replays, and comprehensive audio integration. His leadership and vision have not only elevated the quality of the broadcasts but have also dramatically increased viewership, adding over 74,000 additional views, 324 new subscribers, and over 22,000 watch hours in just one year.
As the advisor for the Dragons Eye Student Video Club, Mr. Bell has instilled in his students the skills and confidence to produce high-caliber broadcasts, spanning news, school events, and live sports coverage. Under his guidance, students take full ownership of their productions, managing audio, creating real-time graphics (including scoreboards, sponsor overlays, and logos), and executing live broadcasts with precision. His philosophy is simple yet powerful: every idea is achievable through teamwork, dedication, and a focus on the viewer experience.
Overcoming Challenges, Building Future Broadcasters
The 2024-2025 school year was a defining moment for FDN. With over 95% of the previous broadcast team graduating, a new generation of students, primarily freshmen and sophomores with little to no experience, had to step up and continue FDN's legacy of excellence. With just one week to prepare before the first football game, these students faced an immense challenge.
Under Mr. Bell's guidance, they tackled live production head-on, quickly learning equipment operation, mastering complex production software, and refining their broadcasting skills in real time. Week by week, the team evolved, camerawork became more dynamic, audio improved, and graphics became more sophisticated, enhancing the overall viewing experience.
Some students found their passion in camera operation, capturing immersive action shots. Others excelled in backend production, ensuring seamless transitions, clear audio, and professional-quality video switching. Meanwhile, the graphics team elevated the broadcasts with real-time sports visuals that kept viewers engaged.
Through commitment, teamwork, and Mr. Bell's unwavering mentorship, this young, inexperienced team transformed into a polished, high-functioning broadcast unit. Their success is a testament to his dedication as an educator—proving that with the right leader, a group of students can achieve extraordinary things.
Mr. Bell's impact extends far beyond the production booth. He is shaping the next generation of media professionals, instilling not only technical expertise but also creativity, leadership, and a passion for storytelling. For his exceptional contributions to student media and broadcasting education, Jerry Bell is more than deserving of the Teacher of the Year Award.
Bryan Allen | Siloam Springs High School | Siloam Springs, AR
Student Submission:
Before this year I had never been interested in broadcasting, but I have one of the most amazing broadcasting teachers ever. Mr. Bryan Allen is always willing to give students amazing film opportunities.
I really got a spark of interest out of this and may want to do it for my career! The video that I am submitting would not have been possible without my high school broadcasting teacher, Bryan Allen.
Joe Pine, Scott Williams, Stacy Shub and Jason Carlson | Stevenson High School | Lincolnshire, IL
Our advisors, Joe Pine, Scott Williams, Stacy Shub and Jason Carlson, have worked tirelessly with our students to support their ambitions of producing professional level broadcasts. These broadcasts include multiple camera angles, instant replay, professional graphics, and student play-by-play and color commentary. These individuals give of their time to lead, instruct, and facilitate teamwork, collaboration, and professional integrity.