I externed with CBS News last summer and had an excellent experience so was delighted when we both wanted to work together again. Since my first externship, Jacob Boone, my supervisor and the promotions manager at CBS News, and his wife Jaynee Boone, the General Manager of the Hampton Inn Boise Airport, both served as Business Professionals of America regional competition judges for me. Jacob also often provided equipment and studio setup advice for my yearbook program, which helped save my school hundreds of dollars. Since the connections I’d made last summer greatly benefitted my classroom and my program I was looking forward to participating again.

Because we had already established working relationships and I’d received training in equipment and company procedures, we were able to do a greater variety of projects. Like last summer, I helped produce CBS News’ coverage of the 4th of July parade, including shooting promotional materials, planning parade order and camera shots, and assisting with production and sound for the parade itself. In addition to that, I was able to assist on a number of different shoots throughout the summer including a jib shot over the Boise foothills and another over the greenbelt, a commercial starring an obscenely photogenic bulldog (thank you Batta Fulkerson Law Group), and an interview with Debbie Critchfield-the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Some of the things I appreciated most about working with CBS was the diversity of experiences I had, the trust and confidence they put in me, and the kind and welcoming nature of their staff. I look forward to sharing these experiences in my classrooms in the future, particularly the knowledge I’ve gained regarding production of live events, working with a diverse range of clientele, and the immense amount of creative problem solving, critical thinking, and agile reaction skills this career field requires. Most importantly, I hope the connections I’ve made through this program will continue to benefit my students, as the access to industry and content experts has already proven invaluable. I would highly recommend any teacher, rookie or veteran, to take full advantage of this program.