Beginning this quarter, the talent at GMHS will be hitting their “marks” and studying their “sides”, while the “grips” “check the gate” and give “last looks” before calling “action” in the new TV production studio.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the studio took place just before winter break. Superintendent Dr. Jordan Grossman, principal Mike Dunn, and technology teacher Nick Gaeta showed Granby Education Foundation board members and major donor Al Wilke, the new space and state-of-the-art equipment. Students will combine their artistic and technology abilities to create a daily news program and video projects for a variety of classes.
GEF, and former GEF board member Al Wilke, teamed up with the Granby Public Schools to envision this impactful STEM project and ensure that it is embedded into the GMHS curricula. The TV production studio is the largest special project GEF has funded since its inception with the creation of the Salmon Brook Ecology Center at GMMS in 2000.
Last year, the Granby Education Foundation along with Al Wilke’s generous contribution, provided $100,000 of funding for a state-of-the-art TV studio at GMHS. Even with COVID, supply chain and inflation challenges, the district staff kept the project on pace.
Architects were hired and finalized the design and budget. Technology students built the news desk, middle and high school students learned more about TV production. Demolition and building the studio occurred last summer, and finish work was completed over the fall.
The studio brings new opportunities to the high school. In addition to continuing the Bears Broadcasting Club to train interested students, news production will be integrated into the Advanced Communication and Technology class. The Audio-Visual Communications course for the 2023-24 school year will be revised and reimagine the Bears Broadcasting Club as a production studio.
The TV studio supports both arts and STEM education in an innovative package that combines capital improvement to the high school with specialized training and unique experiences for the students.