By: Lucas Veenstra
Public education can sometimes make one feel like their work is menial, however hope does remain for those who wish to contribute to their community within school hours.
Covering Hawkeye Sports is a media journalism class primarily focused on Hamilton athletics. It runs all year and is taught exclusively by Mr. Behnke. CHS doesn’t require students to have in-depth sports knowledge, they just need to be willing to collaborate and step out of personal comfort zones. There are various tasks a student may engage with throughout their experience, with the beginning of a trimester allowing for choices of a sport to focus on. There is also Meet The Athlete, which is what I was in. MTA is a pretty open group which allows for a lot of different outlets to interview and highlight players, while also including all current sports.
CHS isn’t intended to be a super hard class that stresses students out, but a challenging one that motivates them. The most important things are just caring and doing one’s best, these will guarantee success. The class has a point system, which contributes to your overall grade positively. They can be earned in various ways, from posting player profiles to taking pictures at a game. Points add a layer of strategy as students can work as a team to ensure everyone can achieve a decent amount every week. There are multiple standards, with the most prominent being Personal Accountability. Points also stack, which can carry over to the next week if a surplus is obtained.
In addition to being a journalism class, there is a large emphasis put on individuality and pushing students to do their best. There are many different opportunities as long as you communicate and try your hardest. Posts are distributed across a fair few websites, such as Facebook, Instagram, and the official website. There are various types of content that is created. Player Profiles, Instagram Reels, Gameday Graphics, etc. This allows Hamilton fans to keep up with what’s going on in the community even if they are unable to attend games. CHS can also put spotlights on athletes who may not receive as much media attention as their other teammates. Interview and even trivia questions can really be anything and are largely at the discretion of the group/class.
Covering Hawkeye Sports offers a lot of freedom with time management, with the most valuable aspect of the class in my opinion being that the work you do means something. As well as developing better communication skills. It can be tough, but also more rewarding. Even though there is often a consensus on what’s done on a given day, anyone has the power to change the course of the class if they have a good idea. I hope that new people continue to sign up for it, and even if they are a bit nervous to stick it out and try their best.