Students in the Bellmore-Merrick Broadcasting program tested their reporting, filming and editing skills on a national stage when they attended the annual convention hosted by the Student Television Network in Tampa, Florida.
A group of 24 students from Wellington C. Mepham High School joined more than 3,500 middle and high school students from across the United States and the United Kingdom for the four-day gathering, which featured broadcast and film competitions, hands-on workshops and networking with media professionals.
The Student Television Network is an international organization that supports scholastic broadcast journalism and film programs. Its annual convention is considered the largest student broadcasting conference in the world, bringing together young journalists and filmmakers to sharpen their skills while competing in real-world production challenges.
During the convention, the Bellmore-Merrick Broadcasting team participated in nine competitions that required students to create broadcast content on tight deadlines in an unfamiliar city. Working in teams, students brainstormed ideas, conducted interviews, filmed footage, wrote scripts and edited their stories within hours.
One of the most demanding contests was the signature “Crazy 8’s” challenge, in which teams had just eight hours to produce a complete morning show based on a surprise prompt.
“This is my fourth year attending STN and it just gets bigger and better each year,” said senior producer Emma Santiago, who worked on several of the program’s contest submissions.
Other competitions called on students to produce projects such as a movie trailer, commentary segments, feature stories and a news package — all while racing against strict time limits.
“There is a ton of pressure,” senior producer Allison Redican said. “You don’t want to let the team down, but you also want to be true to the people whose story we’re telling, and you only have three hours. It was honestly the most stressful three hours I have ever spent — and I’d give anything to get a chance to do it again.”
The Bellmore-Merrick Broadcasting team earned Outstanding Achievement for its weekly morning announcements and Distinguished Merit for its newsmagazine program, Midweek Update, honors recognizing the quality of the students’ work.
Broadcasting teachers Stu Stein, Matt Russell and Lisa Kalish accompanied the group to the convention and commended the students for their effort and teamwork.
“Each year I am more and more impressed by these kids,” Stein said. “In a world of ‘I can’t,’ STN teaches students that they can.”
For some students, the event was their first time attending the national conference.
“I’ve never worked so hard, stressed so much, and laughed at the same time as much as I did in the last four days,” Isabella Lettieri said.
