A broadcasting class at Bartlesville High School recently received a $3,500 donation from the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation.

Danial Karnes - the teacher for the Intro to Sports media class – said he is happy because there are more opportunities for his students. He said the money will go towards buying two new cameras for their program.

The program was new to students this year and they started with one camera. The class got their feet wet with the 2019 Bartlesville Bruins football season as they helped KWON TV (Bartlesville Radio's new, live video broadcasting system) in its inaugural year. Intro to Sports media students also had their own Facebook Live tailgate show during the Bruin football season.

Meanwhile, Karnes was teaching his students the basics of an interview, how to write a story in the classroom, and how to use Adobe Premeier. The grant money for the BPS Foundation enables the class to get the cameras, which will give them different angles when they are broadcasting. This includes the recording of school announcements and live videos of pep assemblies, or other live video events they might cover.

In addition to what the BPS Foundation has granted to the broadcasting class, Karnes said they have received a $1,000 grant from Walmart. He said this money will help them buy microphones, batteries, cables, and other media materials they might need.

With all the money from the providers, Karnes said the students will be able to have an expanded classroom experience. He said 1,600 students at Bartlesville High School are impacted by these funds, and that the community also benefits from the money because they get to be a part of what the broadcasting students are doing when they go live. There is a hope for Karnes that students will be able to tell the stories of the community in the future.

Broadcasting in the Bartlesville Public Schools District starts at the middle school level. Karnes said at the high school level, however, they are looking to make a Intro to Broadcasting class and a Broadcasting II class.

Having a Broadcasting II class would allow those students that took the broadcasting courses at either Madison or Central to have a foot in the door when they come to the high school. Karnes added that the Intro to Broadcasting class at BHS would give those students that find an interest in broadcasting - who didn't participate in a broadcasting class in middle school - opportunity to taking broadcasting.

The future of the students in broadcasting is unlimited; the journalistic education that the students are getting provides endless avenues. Karnes said back in the day, they did not get the hands-on experience of journalism in high school like students do today. He said the news bug has already bitten some students as they prepare for their career and head into college.

There are many companies that need people to edit video for their social media accounts. Karnes said even if the students do not fall into a broadcasting career, they can use their editing skills in any medium or any occupation they find themselves in.

When the students return from Christmas Break, Karnes hopes the two additional cameras and the other equipment they are looking to get will be in. He said he is thankful for Executive Director Blair Ellis and the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation for providing their classroom grants. He also thanked Walmart for their assistance in the cause to develop great storytellers for yesterday, today and forevermore.