Suburban Life - Main Line/Philadelphia

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SL_PROFILE_LaSalle College_0723_Layout 1 7 / 31 / 23 10 : 34 AM Page 1 Not the La Salle College High School’s NEW DIGITAL MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION CONCENTRATION Same Old PROGRAM SHAPES STUDENTS INTO SKILLED CONTENT CREATORS AND COLLABORATORS WHO KNOW by B I L L D O N A H U E Story HOW TO TELL POWERFUL STORIES . 17 years old , Owen Kunko alread Concentration program , Kunko will lead the program this year in yhas a student Emmy in his trophy case and his own digit tandem with Rob Johnson , La Salle’s director of digital strategy and al - media company , AOK At Studios , which he hopes to surp chair of the school’s Innovation and Design Department . Johnson , a ass $ 100,000 in revenue by June 2024 . He’s eager to begin his senio formershow producer with Comcast SportsNet / CBS Sports , joined La r year at La Salle College High School so he can add to his already im Sallein 2006 . He has led the program through a transformative time in pressive C.V . Kunko belongs to the first cohort of se themedia landscape — namely , the transition from analog to digital . niors in La Salle’s new Digital Media and Communication Concen “ We were doing rudimentary stuff when I first got here , but the tration program , which he believes has begun to prepare him fo school had a vision for where it wanted to go , ” he recalls . “ We used r a career in the ever - evolving media landscape . Led by profes to do a live show [ for the students ] every day , but as the technology sionals he describes as “ some of my greatest mentors , ” Kunko shifted with cellphones and social media , the basic homeroom show feels as though he has gotten closer to “ choosing a path ” as he p was getting outdated . We have since moved the model to a weekly repares for college and beyond , creating a dynamic portfolio in the feature show , where the guys really get to showcase their abilities . process . “ I love to tell stories through cinemat “ We’re big into experiential learning and creating a team envi - ic visuals , ” Kunko says . “ Storytelling applies to any aspect of life , in ronment , where the students work closely together to apply the cluding visual marketing and branding . We have the opportunity to l things they learn in the classroom , ” he continues . “ A lot of high earn every aspect of the creative process here . ” schoolsare still making live TV shows , but that’s not really preparing Kunko and other members of his coho students for the world they live in ; there’s not a whole lot of live TV rt use the state - of - the - art ool WEXPtv studio to gain real - life exposure to careers in journalism , Sch video production , social media , digital marketing , public relations , igh and e - sports , among other modes of content creation . In addition , H e they can learn how to use digital media tools from Adobe Creative leg Cloud , become certified professionals l through La Salle’s partnership Co with Certiport , and produce award - winning content for the school , lle as well as for their own personal brands . Sa a “ My goal this year is to leave a lasting impact , bring my skills to L f the next level , and contribute to an environment in which my team o sy members and I challenge each other to grow , ” Kunko says . “ WEXP rte is my main thing ; it’s like a sport at La Salle . It’s a lifestyle , and it’s the cou backbone of the school from a visual perspective . It has some tos stresses , but it’s also a lot of fun . ” Pho As the first president of the Digital Media and Communication SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM VOLUME 14 ISSUE 11 62 |

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SL_PROFILE_LaSalle College_0723_Layout 1 7 / 31 / 23 12 : 44 PM Page 2 marketing materials for the following year . The goal , as Johnson sees it : “ to help stu - dents experience what it’s like to work in the field , if they’re thinking of doing it for a living . We want to get these guys in front of adults and have them act like professionals so they can understand it’s not all fun and games , and that things might not always go according to plan . ” Johnson credits the La Salle administration , led by Brother James Butler , FSC , for com - mitting to the program’s expansion : an upgraded TV studio , a new robotics lab , and the latest software and technology to help students hone their skills as content creators . “ Our program is based on the Lasallian model of teaching the whole student through student - centered , project - based learning , ” he adds . “ Any idea you want to explore , anything you want to do , there’s no better environment I can think of in a high school . Good things constantly happen here . The guys learn new production left . Here , they can build a utilizes current events to teach students the skills they can take with them , some of them portfolio that’s going to put them leaps and fundamentals of video production . At the go on to do things on their own , and we’ve same time , he offers guidance on the real - wona bunch of awards . ” bounds ahead of their peers [ once they get to college ] . ” world aspects of the business , such as the Johnson cites “ Climbing the Mountain , ” importance of meeting deadlines , while also whichwon the 2023 NATAS Mid - Atlantic Stu - LaSalle’s innovation and design curriculum has evolved to offer courses in engineering , advisingthem on the subtle art of storytelling . dent Production Emmy Award in the sports “ If someone is doing a piece about the category . The video , which was shot and graphicdesign , information technology , mul - timedia production , and web design . It’s an football team , instead of going right to the edited by Kunko and fellow student Sean highlights , I tell them to look for the story Gallagher , with Johnson as executive producer , especially tempting lineup for students who have the interest or inclination , though every behindthe game , ” he says . “ At the end of the documented La Salle’s football rivalry with La Salle freshman benefits from an introductory day , people value powerful stories . The things another Philadelphia - area private school . course to technology and design . we’re teaching here force students to learn “ It was a real team effort , ” Kunko says of “ It’s a humbling experience as a teacher , ” theprocess , beyond what are the cool settings the video . “ I learned a lot about producing on their cameras . high - level content , but it also taught me how Johnson says . “ Some of these kids are better than I am at something I’ve been doing for “ Ialso relay to them that there are infinite to be a better leader , planner , and storyteller . 20 years . If they wanted to , they could probably storytelling possibilities at La Salle , ” he con - Goingforward , I want to go to college , expand go right into the work force the day after tinues . “ You have athletic teams , service trips , mymind , and build my brand to new heights . ? graduation . But I stress getting a degree with people who have seen and done a lot of Honestly , the opportunities are endless . ” a focus on digital marketing or business to interestingthings in their lives . As I tell anyone help use their skills in various professions . ” who is involved with WEXP : ‘ All the content While Johnson and his team partake in and videos you want to make , it’s all here at ? La Salle College developmental workshops to “ stay ahead of La Salle . Go find a story . ’ ” the curve ” in regard to new technology , the The program includes internships and High School collaborative environment enables students other off - campus opportunities through 8605 Cheltenham Ave . and teachers to learn together . Johnson also Johnson’snetwork in sports media and other taps into his vast network of contacts to invite fields . Some students may have the chance Wyndmoor , PA 19038 professionals from the public sector to share to work with under - resourced schools , for ( 215 ) 233 - 2911 | LSCHS.org their experiences with students . example , using their skills to create a school’s Matthew Sinnott is a fine example . A La Salle alumnus from the Class of 2006 , Sinnott followed his love of film to the West Coast , where he majored in multimedia at California State University , Northridge . He then started his own production company , Creative Colli - sion , whose clients included La Salle . After five years of working as a member of the video production team on a freelance basis , Sinnott joined the faculty as a teacher of mobile video production . “ The technology is evolving so quickly , and this generation is keeping up with it , so they can tell if their teachers are keeping up with it , ” Sinnott says . “ They may know their cameras better than Rob or I do , but they don’t have the industry experience , and that’s what I bring into the classroom . ” To keep students engaged , Sinnott often SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM VOLUME 14 ISSUE 11 | 63

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