"3, 2, 1, Action!"

By Samantha DePriest

Since the beginning, the mission and focus of Trinity Christian School has been to educate, engage, and equip students to impact the world around us. If you have been around TCS for any length of time, you likely have noticed that each school year various classes and extracurricular activities are added to enhance the educational experience of our students. Back in 2019, a media elective was added to the offerings for our high school students interested in the film industry led by Mr. Oscar Camejo and Mr. John Steinklauber. As interest grew, so has the scope of topics the class covers.

Chris Litton, Director of Live Media and School Productions at TCS (pictured here), shares, “TCS Film & Broadcast Production is a brand new High School elective offering this year! At TCS, our Film & Broadcast Elective goes beyond traditional classroom learning, ensuring that students not only acquire theoretical knowledge but also gain invaluable practical experience. We are excited to be cultivating the next generation of Christian storytellers, filmmakers, and media professionals!”

Our Film and Broadcasting students were eager to share their thoughts about the class, what drew them to it and what they hope to learn from it.

Cameron Wallace is a Junior at TCS and shares, “I was led to participate in this class due to my background in photography and videography.  I hope to learn the ins and outs of broadcasting this semester.”

TCS Sophomore Kathryn Andrews shares, “Brett asked me if I wanted to take this class and I'm really glad I did. I had no idea how much went into the film or broadcast industry. I've learned so much from Mr. Litton and I'm really looking forward to the rest of this semester!”

Senior Roman Arcadia shares, “Mr. Litton seemed very passionate about it when he told us what his plans for it were. Additionally, it's a film elective and I'm up to do anything like that. Our current broadcast unit is a lot of fun with the week to week production. Writing, filming, and editing are done on schedules that make this all feel incredibly professional while being in a new and safe environment. Mr. Litton has made an incredible class that feels very tight knit due to its small size and his excellent direction. Having him and Mr. Camjeo at the forefront of our broadcast productions has made us all feel like we're in safe hands who want the absolute best for us and for us to learn as much as we can.” 

Sophomore Brett Rogers serves as a part of the TCS Roaring Dramatics where he focuses mainly on technical theatre. Brett also is the official announcer of the Varsity Girls and Boys Soccer teams. He shares, “The main reason I joined this class was because of Mr. Litton. I had taken his Audiovisual class in the 22-23 school year and it was amazing, so I figured I'd love his film class as well. And, so far, I do. This semester, I'm hoping to grow in my knowledge of the film industry. We've been talking a lot about how filmmaking works and it's a topic that really intrigues me. As a student who would really enjoy a job in the film or broadcast industry, the material we learn is very valuable to me. I'm hoping in my future that I can have a career working in the television industry specifically. My future will undoubtedly be impacted by having the opportunity to get a head start in the film industry at my age. I'm more than sure that as the class goes on, the material will get better.”

Owen Osborne is a Junior at TCS and shares, “I have previous experience in the film world but I found that I lacked skills when it came to broadcast. I decided to join this class to ultimately increase my skill set and gain a higher understanding of the inner workings of the broadcast world. This semester I am hoping to learn more about the inner workings of the broadcast world. Without film and broadcast, one of the largest industries in the world would cease to exist. When times are tough or people are feeling down, they turn to some form of media. From movies to television shows, from radio broadcasts to podcasts, the world craves entertainment and the ability to stay in the know.”

TCS Junior Tori Pullin also serves as an 11th Grade Student Council Assistant Officer, Thespian Troupe 8184 Officer, as well as Beta Club Officer. Tori is also a member of IN (Integration Nation). She shares “For a few years now I have wanted to learn more about t.v and film, not just from the perspective of being in front of the camera but being behind the camera as well. My mother was also a big factor in choosing this elective, she saw what a great opportunity it was and encouraged me to take it. (as a bonus, I was able to annoy senior classmate Roman Arcadi)  This semester, I am hoping to gain an understanding of how to edit footage and put it together in a professional manner. I see the skills I gain in this class, aiding my confidence, experience, and understanding of the professional t.v./movie industry world to prepare me for potentially entering this industry as a profession.”

TCS Junior Andrew Jaroszewski serves as the Student manager of the Football team as well as the manager and coach of the TCS Flag Football team. He also plays on the TCS Golf team. Andrew shares, “I took a class similar to this class last year with Mr. Litton and he said he would be creating this new class (Film/Broadcasting) this year for some people to try it out. So I decided to take his new class and the main reason was because Mr. Litton, he has taught me a lot about tech things and I wanted to learn more.”

Mrs. Rachel Jaroszewski, Mom to Andrew who is a student in the class, shares, “One of my favorite things about Mr. Litton is that he truly cares about these kids in his class and cares about what they will do in life with what he is teaching them! He encouraged everyone in the Fall to find a place to serve at their church they attend. Andrew got himself plugged into the Production Team at our church and has been faithfully serving at least 2 weeks per month running ProPresenter (something Mr. Litton taught them how to do) at Youth Gatherings on Wednesdays. He did this all on his own and it was because he felt confident and empowered through Mr. Litton’s teaching and encouragement,.”

The student’s first chapel announcements were shared on the big screens during High School chapel this past Wednesday morning, Our students and staff loved seeing the final product come to life and were impressed with what the class was able to already accomplish. This is just the beginning and we are eager to see what is next in store for these students and future students interested in learning more about media and careers in this industry.