La Jolla High School program adds TV element

BY DIANA POLYAK

Intern

Four years ago, Jennifer Eve founded LJRadio, the Muirlands Middle School radio station, as an elective class for students.

Last year, Andrew Shrader, a new San Diego State graduate, answered Eve’s e-mail seeking a media teacher to continue the work she started as a parent volunteer.

Now the program has expanded to include a TV element, and the teacher is known as Mr. Shradio.

Eve had begun to introduce the teacher who would replace her to the school, her class, curriculum and technology. He quickly became devoted to the students and to his new work.

“I never really envisioned myself becoming a teacher, at least not at such a young age fresh out of college, but by taking over LJRadio, I have realized a whole new side of me that I never knew was there,” Shrader said. “Although I’m still actively pursuing other endeavors in the mass media world, teaching has now quickly become a potential career.”

He said he believes that he and Kenton Mursinna, the computer instructor who shares the teaching with him, have made program “multidimensional in regards to mass media.”

Shrader said that by Christmas, students new to the class had learned necessary skills on computers and the basics of work with technological equipment. Student station manager Luke Gulley and other returning students took the lead and helped familiarize newcomers.

Soon, LJRadio added LJRadioTV. This project had been in the works since the class returned in 2010 and officially began in mid-February. Shrader started by producing a weekly video bulletin with his elective class. Once they had mastered on-camera and editing skills, he incorporated the lunch and after-school club members as well.

When asked what is his favorite part of the job, Shrader answered with a smile, “Seeing how much the students know in current events and seeing how they present their ideas.”

LJRadioTV broadcasts Muirlands Middle School events, La Jolla events, local news, some world events, music, sports and weather.

The current elective class has 12 students, the lunch club varies around 15 to 20, and the after-school club is at 15 students.

Shrader makes certain that everyone is given a job title and each student is involved with what he or she is interested in. With the new TV program, students are also given an additional choice between work in radio and television.

Students become familiar with software such as Final Cut, Garage Band, iMovie, SAM4 Broadcaster and Adobe Audition, which allows them to gain important, hands-on experience with advanced technology.

Ruby Foster and Christopher Fouharty are veterans from last year’s class and active after-school members. They enthusiastically volunteered their opinions on the new LJRadioTV program and the teacher.

Ruby said her favorite part of the class is being able to express herself on air and make up her own show while hanging out with friends from school. She likes sound effects and mastering the technology equipment and is thinking about media as a career option.

Support your local radio

To donate to, sponsor or ask questions about the program, contact Shrader at AndrewShrader@LJRadio.com.