Every fall, Northern Nation supports the football team through the student section at both home and away games, but because of the Coronavirus guidelines for fall sports, students cannot cheer for the Polar Bears in the stadium this year. For many high schoolers, attending football games is a quintessential part of their high school experience. Through the sense of unity and positivity that the student section exudes, along with the memories that students can make with their peers, the student section and football games are a memorable part of the school year. The restriction on attendance that is present throughout all sports this fall has caused the filming and streaming of these games to become prevalent and, even, beneficial for sports teams, such as the football team. Although the changes that the Coronavirus pandemic has imposed on this school year have resulted in the loss of many experiences that are unique to high school, it has also presented an opportunity for growth and academic exploration, which is demonstrated by Bella Shaffer’s creation of a live-stream program for the varsity and junior varsity football teams.
This live-stream highlights the perseverance of Northern’s Bella Shaffer to further her interest in film outside of the classroom and the collaboration between various staff members within Northern High School and the football staff in order to resemble a traditional football season virtually. Before the football season began, Bella met with Mrs. Gunning with the goal of finding a way to improve her high school experience and simultaneously expand her skills in film and broadcasting. This consultation spurred the production of the broadcast as Mrs. Gunning arranged a meeting between Bella and the football coaches, where Bella proposed her idea for a live recording of the games and the details of the live-stream. After various meetings with the football coaches, Bella’s position as creator and producer of the live-stream for the Northern football team was cemented, which began her experiential learning through media and broadcasting.
Even though the live-stream has been successful, Bella has dealt with many uncertainties throughout the season that have held many lessons, which have benefited her as she moves forward both professionally and personally. While traveling alongside the team, there are many factors that could hinder the operation and success of the live stream, such as weather, space to set up equipment, and many others, which has aided Bella in developing her ability to adapt and improvise behind the scenes. Without an area to set up her equipment, Bella has to improvise and prop her computer and camera on the bleachers. In order to produce the live stream, Bella utilizes her camera, adapter, speaker, and computer to record the stream and the commentary of Mr. Anderson and Mr. Reeder, so one can imagine the difficulty that varying conditions could present to Bella with the amount of equipment she uses. Aside from the unpredictability of producing a live stream in various unfamiliar environments, Bella has spent countless hours throughout the weeks filming the games to ensure that Northern Nation can continue to support the Polar Bears at home. From filming the actual games to interviewing players and editing a pregame show, Bella’s determination to further her own knowledge and to connect the community is evident through the responsibilities that she has undertaken this fall. The experiential learning that Bella has gleaned from this project will aid her in future professional and academic endeavors, while benefiting her community.
Through her hard work and dedication to this project, Bella’s success from the football live stream has presented an opportunity to unite the Northern community and gain recognition for her abilities as she leaves the halls of Northern High. The success of the stream is apparent through the nearly $1500 that has been produced from spectators purchasing the stream online. Another aspect of the success of the football live stream is the greater exposure that it has obtained amongst the community, as it was shown at Haar’s Drive-In on October 23 when the Polar Bears played Susquehanna Township. This event also was exciting for Bella to see her hard work displayed and enjoyed by the Northern community. As the football season comes to an end, the school hopes to continue streaming other sporting events and school events in order to resemble a “normal” school year. Bella is already intending to stream the National Honors Society induction ceremony in December, while simultaneously being inducted herself. The continuous stream of sporting and school events throughout the school year could provide Bella with what she hopes to be a part time job during the remainder of her senior year. The laborious efforts of Bella Shaffer have established a broadcast which has united Northern students through sports, despite the absence of the student section. The success of her live stream displays her talent and hard work within film and the Northern community’s relentless support of their peers during the limitations of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Bella Schaffer
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