December 9, 2024
Prince George High School's Social Media Marketing program continues to raise its profile across the Commonwealth as the Virginia School Boards Association recently recognized the class with an honorable mention in its annual student video contest during their yearly conference in Hampton Roads in November.
This year's contest theme, "Kindness," sought to inspire students across Virginia to submit 30-second videos showcasing unique perspectives on the power of kindness in three categories: Random Acts of Kindness, Kindness and Mental Health, and Kindness in Sports. The video contest encouraged students to explore kindness in meaningful ways, whether through individual projects, small groups, or class collaborations. Videos were judged on topic relevance, production quality, creativity, and insight.
Across nearly three dozen entries, Prince George High School's video, produced by junior Jackson Baird and senior Jack Bennett, and in collaboration with social media marketing teacher Mr. Chris Powell, earned an honorable mention in the Kindness in Sports category. Their video featured high-quality editing and a documentary-style feel featuring Prince George High School's trio of NCAA Division I commits - Riley Humphries, Abbie Sars, and Caleb Watts - in starring roles.
According to the two upperclassmen, while the video was only 30 seconds, production, including refining the concept, filming, and editing, took less than a week to complete.
"There was a group chat where we talked about it for a little bit, and we figured out how we wanted to interview everyone, what questions we wanted to ask, and we built as we went to determine what we wanted the outcome to be," Bennett explained. "We worked during our first block, and we were able to get all the filming done in about two to three days. Then it was all up to Jackson to edit it, so I think it took about five days total to get a good final product."
Watch the student-made video for the VSBA Student Video Contest by using the YouTube player above. You can also click HERE to be taken to YouTube. (PGCPS Photo)
"We knew we wanted to do something with more of a documentary style for this project," Baird said. "The style of music was important; making sure it lined up with the clips we had was big for us. The setting was a sit-down, documentary-style production, so we wanted the music to flow with it. I have always been a self-taught editor and photographer. I just had a vision for things like that and a creative mind, and I think it is Something that God has blessed me with."
For Mr. Powell, allowing students to have the freedom to be creative and make a project their own while providing guidance and support where needed has served the marketing program well, allowing it to flourish and become an in-demand cluster within the high school's career and technical education offerings.
"When you look at it today, what has really driven this program are students like Jackson and Jack, who are coming to me with interest and talent," Mr. Powell said. "Some of the best things we do in this class are because the students are driven to make things happen, and we allow them to do it. It seems like our program gets better each year, the quality continues to rise, and the students deserve the credit. These students see what's happening in our program and want to be part of it. It's truly a pipeline where we are seeing such demand for our program."
"Mr. Powell giving us the free will to make what we wanted really spoke to our creative vision," Baird said. "I think it was great to be able to be recognized in this way, and it's a testament to what Prince George can do when you put a bunch of smart minds together and just have that creative excellence."
Since the class' creation in 2019, the social media marketing program has evolved into a content-generation machine. Through a mix of slice-of-life looks into school programs and activities, special features, such as senior spotlights and behind-the-scenes of stage performances, and more, the class has produced over 400 social media posts between September 2021 and November 2024. They also regularly partner with the Sports Marketing class, taught by Mr. Travis Carr, to develop content and tell stories, including the recent Royal Games and the school's media day for winter sports.
"I think it is great to be able to share all of these different posts and have the parents and the kids that go here see the things we do," Baird said. "Everyone likes to see themselves online, and I think putting the posts together has been great. You always want to outdo yourself on that next post. It's been my favorite class I've taken at the high school, and I love being a part of it."
On Tuesday, December 3, 2024, PGHS senior Jack Bennett, junior Jackson Baird, and social media marketing teacher Mr. Chris Powell were recognized by the Prince George County School Board after the students received an honorable mention during the VSBA’s student video contest this year. (PGCPS Photo)
"I love the feeling of building other people up, so when I go to a basketball game, and I take photos of people, I know they are going to appreciate that," Bennett said. "Photos last forever; it's a memory for them, so being able to be part of that in their life and work with them means a lot."
The experience students get in the social media marketing classes at the high school often mirrors that of the marketing and public relations arm of companies, as students learn about key social media metrics, conveying appropriate voice and tone in their content and fostering an engaged audience. An advocate for the program's creation years ago, Mr. Powell is focused on gearing students up for the future after graduating high school.
"What these students are doing can lead to real-world jobs, and social media marketing plays a crucial role in the marketing world now," Mr. Powell said. "Our students are leaving our program here at the high school so much further ahead because they have these experiences. What I really want to do with these guys is build their portfolio, including their posts and content that they can take to college and job interviews. This video and recognition will be an awesome piece to add to that."
While Jackson Baird has one more year until graduation, Jack Bennett looks forward to further exploring marketing as he prepares to walk across the stage and receive his diploma in May.
"One thing I have learned from Powell's class is that marketing is everything," Bennett said. "If I were to go to college, which I think I am on that path, I would go into business and marketing and continue pursuing photography and videography because that's Something that has always stuck with me. Even when I took a little gap in between, that's always been Something that's been in my heart to do."
Mr. Powell closed by saying, "Something Jack told me the other day was, 'I don't know if I want to graduate. Can I get one more year?' As a teacher, this blew me away, and you can't get a higher compliment than this. You don't hear that very often, but these students are amazing. They truly elevate the whole class to go to another level."
This recognition now pairs with the Social Media Marketing class' inclusion in the VSBA 2023 Media Honor Roll and a 2022 feature in the VSBA's Showcases for Success directory.
To learn more about the Virginia School Boards Association, visit their website at http://vsba.org.