NEA Education Spotlight: Bearcat Media Productions Inspires Future Journalists at Brookland High School

BROOKLAND, Ark. — The award-winning Bearcat Media Productions team at Brookland High School sets high standards for students in grades 7-12. These students are learning everything from broadcast journalism to sports reporting and commentary, to even filmmaking.

The students have a remarkable work ethic, but it all started because of a vision and the leadership of teacher Jane Andrews.

Andrews started her job at Brookland High School just four years ago, but in that four years, the program has seen remarkable growth. That growth has not been without challenges.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The students in the program when Andrews arrived were broadcasting and streaming sporting events, but they had bigger dreams.

“They wanted all the bells and whistles. They wanted to use all four cameras. They wanted to switch back and forth. They wanted to have fancier graphics,” Andrews explained, but while the students had the skills, the older equipment in use presented challenges.

“The audio was really bad,” Andrews described, likening the sound quality to that of an old AM radio station, complete with static and screeching noises.

Andrews got to work, finding a solution to the worst of the audio issues and consolidating the workflow.

She explained that students broadcasting sporting events were doing separate streams, one for the Jumbotron-like cube in the gymnasium and another for viewers streaming the games.

Andrews offered students a solution. “You’re doing some phenomenal stuff here on the cube. Why don’t we just broadcast that because that looks great,” she told the students.

Once that hurdle was somewhat cleared, Andrews set out to expand Bearcat Media Productions to the all-encompassing fine arts program that it is today.

With more than 30 years of teaching under her belt, the Arkansas State University graduate set about exploring other tools in her toolbox: tools she had utilized at Wynne High School and at another high school in Georgia.

“It all started with the audio and then the commentators,” Andrews recalled of the original direction of Bearcat Media Productions. She continued, “And then it became entertainment.”

Under Andrews’ direction, students began to learn the art of storytelling and the fundamentals of broadcast journalism. Andrews expanded the dimensions of the once sports-fueled program.

“That grew into our news program. I tried to teach the students to create content,” Andrews recalled. “They ended up liking that.”

Now a member of the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association, Bearcat Media Productions attracts students with high journalistic ambitions.

Brookland High School Junior, Jackson Mitchell, is the news director of Bearcat Media Productions.

“Being able to do this so young, it’s a passion of mine. It means a lot to me,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell truly has a passion for news. He described his trajectory. Always interested in journalism, Mitchell joined the program in 8th grade. In 9th grade, he began doing sports broadcasts, and, as the saying goes, the rest is history.

“Here I am now,” said Mitchell. “I can pretty much do all of it now.”

Mitchell sees this educational opportunity as a key to unlocking future career aspirations. His dream is to become a broadcast political reporter.

While Mitchell acknowledges his aspirations may be a steep hill to climb, especially in today’s politically charged climate, he has his priorities laid out.

“It’s really tough, but I feel like the field needs people to tell the story so that it remains unbiased,” Mitchell explained.

Mitchell already has a good start. Three years ago, the young student with a passion for politics started a news website, BrooklandNews.com.

Mitchell says he loves to cover city council meetings, local elections, and national elections. While he’s able to do those things on his own website, both he and Andrews are hopeful they will be able to expand newscasts for Bearcat Media Productions.

“We’d like to do monthly newscasts. Actually, we would like to do three news shows per month,” Andrews described, but she’s up against the clock. Andrews said finding the time to do it all is now her biggest challenge.

Added to the time shortage, there are still some equipment issues.

“We’re down to two little raggedy tripods in here because the equipment is so heavily used,” Andrews told NEA Report.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Still, Andrews is proud of what she’s helped create and proud of the connections she’s helped her students foster.

“It gives a connection to humanity. When we do the interviews with players, they become people instead of athletes because you hear their stories,” Andrews explained.

Andrews’ pride in her students’ work extends far beyond the halls of Brookland High School. Her students, including Mitchell, have racked up many state-wide and even national awards. She acknowledges the importance of accolades for her students.

“It’s not about the awards at all, but it’s about their confidence and confidence is everything!” Andrews concluded.