If you have taken a PBS TeacherLine course and used that knowledge in your
classroom we'd like to know about it. MHz Education recently received a PBS TeacherLine
Local Innovation Fund Grant to promote TeacherLine courses. We are shooting a series
of interviews with teachers talking about how they've used the learning from TeacherLine
courses in their classrooms. We'd love to talk to you. Please contact: Agatha Jenkins
ajenkins@mhznetworks.org - and share your story.
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WeNeedYourHelp!
TheShortieAwardsaTeacher'sExperience
"You are a finalist in the MHz Shortz Awards in the
Daily News Broadcast category."
With this exciting email message, our school news team
from Parkland High School in Allentown , Pennsylvania
began what would turn into not only a winning trip to
the Shortie Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on
June 3rd, but a weekend field trip to our nation's capital.
Driving six kids in a school van from Allentown to D.C.
for a weekend isn't necessarily my first choice for
entertainment, but since we were finalists and I found
out half of my students had never been to D.C., we
decided to take in some of the sights. My students on
Parkland Morning News staff are terrific, hard-working
kids. In fact, they rarely have the time to enter contests
like this considering that we air a seven-minute live
broadcast in our high school every school day. So, it
was great to reward them with a weekend in D.C. We
got to visit the museums on the National Mall, memorials
like the WWII monument, we got our own private tour of
the Capital building (thanks to our congressman), and
we took in the excitement of a Saturday evening in
bustling Georgetown.
After some sightseeing on Sunday morning, we headed
to The George Washington University campus for the
awards ceremony. Though we had heavy rains that
day, it didn't dampen our enthusiasm or our itinerary.
At three o'clock that afternoon, the MHz Shortz Film
Festival began. How clever of them to present the
awards like the Academy Awards Ceremony. I really
didn't know what to expect, and I must say that the
event far exceeded anything that I could have imagined.
Let me start off by saying that we won in our category
Daily News, ages fifteen to eighteen. Don't get me
wrong, I love winning, but the truly remarkable and
valuable thing about attending the MHz Shortz Film
Festival is receiving honest and constructive feedback
from professionals in the field. In addition, the real
cream of the festival was being able to see so much
student work from all over the country.
What an experience to see elementary, middle, and high
school productions that far exceeded my expectations.
The films and news shows were amazing. I, and even
more so my students, were so surprised to see how truly
talented these finalist and award winners are. Had we
not participated and attended this event, we would have
had no idea how many students from all over the country
have the vision and the equipment to put together a
remarkable piece of video. After the ceremony was over,
we attended a reception where we were able to mingle
with those finalists and winners who attended.
I cannot thank those hard working people enough for
organizing, preparing, and orchestrating this event.
I know how difficult it must be to put this all together;
however, it is an exceptional opportunity for young
people of all ages to experience. Thank you so much
for the opportunity to participate in the event. Though
the festival was in its 6th year, I must admit this was
the first year I had heard of it. I am so thankful that I
did! It was a terrific experience, one that my students
and I shall not forget.
Marilyn M. Stinebaugh
Parkland High School
Allentown, PA 18104
