Sara Wilson: What is your background? How did you come to advise CATS-TV?

Jody Evans: I have been teaching for Tuscaloosa County School System since 1994. I started as a film major in college, finishing my undergrad degree in public relations and theatre. I completed my master's degree in Secondary Education language arts and built a theatre program my first seven years of teaching. I started teaching creative writing and proposed a half credit class of mass media. It became a full year class and from that I started a broadcast journalism/TV production class at Hillcrest High School. I felt like every school should have this class so I promoted it to other schools. I transferred to TCHS after the program had been started there because my children were attending school there and I was living in Northport.

 

SW: What were some of the challenges or learning curves you experienced when you became the advisor? I know you were formerly advisor for PATS-TV, so how did that experience inform the new advising role?

JE: I had to adapt my class to the change in the schedule (at all schools, including Hillcrest) going from block schedule to 7 period day. That was a huge change, and a bad change for all schools and electives. I also had to adapt to what students were interested in doing; plus, they had loyalty to the teacher who was supposed to teach it so it was a challenge.

 

SW: What is a typical day in the journalism classroom like? Or, what is the general process for producing the show?

JE: We make a list of things that are going on for the next few weeks as well as the semester. We have shifted from doing a weekly/monthly show to simply completing packages for key events or competitions. We are more of a competition class with a focus on PSAs and hype videos for organizations. It changes every years. This year we focused on competitions. We watch other videos to get ideas of what to do and what NOT to do. We divide in groups and film and edit. Everyone is an actor or background person if needed.

 

SW: Is the program part of a scholastic press association? If so, what is the value of being part of an organization like that? How does it add value or support to the program?

JE: We are part of the Alabama Scholastic Press Association. The students have something to work towards. Also, everyone is impressed with awards that we win from competing.

 

SW: What are the main strengths of CATS-TV?

JE: I love that students have a place to be creative, to work as a team, to push through challenges to complete assignments. They are different every year and this year is an energetic, extroverted group who are willing to try anything and truly focused on competition videos. (We won the Scare my Shorts off Video Movie Project from the University of Montevallo. It was the first time we entered! We have FOUR videos selected as regional semi-finalists for the Greatest Save Video Contest. Last year, we had two selected.) I have no idea what next year will hold!

 

SW: What are some of the current biggest challenges for the program? What are the program's goals for the future?

JE: Time and money. We need new equipment and we have no funding. The seven period day is horrible. We need more time to finish projects. I have students who are teacher's assistant for me so they can complete CATS-TV assignments.

 

SW: Finally, why is scholastic journalism important? How does it add value to the participating students' education?

JE: I think it opens their eyes to a reality of deadlines and problem solving. They have no excuse about why something isn't finished because they have to figure out the when and the how and if something doesn't work, what to do to fix it. I think it gives them ownership to their learning. It also gives them confidence--a huge amount of confidence--to interview, handle equipment, have a vision for a story, etc. If my students are more confident in themselves, then they can accomplish anything!