Brothers Brady and Dylan Knecht work the control booth for the St. Michael Tech Team on June 6, 2023. Brady, 15, a freshman at Greenfield-Central High School, was instrumental in founding the tech team in 2021 as a student at St. Michael Catholic School in Greenfield.
GREENFIELD — Not everyone has what it takes to provide color commentary on a dodgeball game, but seventh-grader Luke Westerman and sxith-grader Nicholas Lewis did a great job doing just that Tuesday morning at the St. Michael Catholic School gym.
The young boys are part of the school’s Tech Team, which teaches students how to handle just about every aspect of broadcasting.
The tech club was created by teacher Emily Capen with the help of two former students, Brady Knecht and Aidan Morris.
Brady was passionate about creating a club where he could learn the ropes of broadcasting, which he hopes to one day make a career.
Now a freshman at Greenfield-Central High School, he was part of the crew filming the high school’s commencement ceremony last weekend, and he films a number of school sporting events through NineStar Connect.
He frequently helps out the St. Michael Tech Team as a coach.
On Tuesday, he served as producer for the practice broadcast of a dodgeball game while his brother Dylan, 12, served as director. Both manned the control booth on the second floor of the school gym, while their sister Ava, 11, ran the camera from above.
Thirteen-year-old Michael Bauer captured the action from the ground floor — with a camera mounted to a rig strapped to his shoulders — as little girls from the school’s summer camp hurled colorful balls at each other as they ran up and down the court.
“There goes ‘pigtails’ on a fast break down the court,” Luke said excitedly into his microphone as Ava zoomed in on the action.
In the control booth, Dylan kept an eye on a number of monitors, switching from screen to screen with the touch of a button.
Capen said the tech team got its start a year into the COVID pandemic when she taught students how to broadcast a school talent show on the school’s YouTube channel, since parents couldn’t attend in person.
“We were encouraged to keep it going by the parents with kids in sports,” said Capen, who teaches technology and computer science.
The broadcasts have been a welcome addition for grandparents and other friends and family who wish to watch the school’s events from out of town.
The students have also filmed a funeral and a wedding at the church.
Capen said the Tech Team gives students hands-on experience beyond simply working a camera. They also learn the role producers and directors play, and get the chance to edit and stream the shows they produce.
“I think it’s important for them to understand technology and know how to use it, but use it responsibly,” said Capen, who has taught 17 years at the school, which has classes for kindergarten through eighth grade.
The technology club was self-funded by students and parents, and now boasts a control room with multiple cameras and monitors as well as a drone for outdoor aerial footage.
Dylan sent the drone soaring over the school’s rear parking lot Tuesday morning, as his brother watched the footage from within the control booth.
Brady, a self-professed broadcasting buff, said a lot of his technology skills have been self-taught. He hopes to study broadcasting at Ball State University.
The skills students learn through St. Michael’s Tech Team gives them a real edge at a young age, he said.
“It helps them learn a lot of information about a lot of different parts of broadcasting,” said Brady, while eyeing the monitors in the control booth.
“A lot of people say the whole process looks like organized chaos,” he said.
The tech club has caught the attention of students, drawing 22 members last year.
“It’s amazing what the kids can do,” said Capen, as the dodge balls continued to sail around the gym.
