Student Television Network: A Comprehensive Guide

The Student Television Network (STN) is a national organization dedicated to supporting and empowering middle and high school media programs. By providing resources, contests, and events, STN enhances learning in broadcasting, filmmaking, and digital media, helping students gain real-world experience while fostering creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Benefits of Joining STN

Becoming a member of STN offers numerous advantages for both students and educators:

Networking Opportunities

STN provides platforms for connecting with media educators and students nationwide. This network facilitates the sharing of ideas and collaboration on projects, fostering a sense of community and mutual support.

National Competitions

STN’s annual contests and challenges motivate students to produce their best work. Participation in these competitions offers opportunities to win awards and gain national recognition for their talents. These contests simulate real-world media production environments, judged by industry professionals on technical quality, creativity, and adherence to professional standards. Competitions are structured to ensure fairness and inclusivity, allowing students from diverse backgrounds and skill levels to participate, with categories for novice and advanced students.

Educational Resources

Members gain access to a wealth of online resources, including lesson plans, tutorials, and webinars, designed to enhance media curriculum. These resources are aligned with national education standards and support teachers in delivering high-quality media education.

Professional Development

STN offers workshops, conferences, and training sessions to help educators stay updated on the latest trends and techniques in media production. This ensures that educators can provide their students with the most current and relevant information. STN also offers professional development opportunities for educators, helping them stay current with industry trends and best practices. This includes workshops, webinars, and access to a network of media professionals.

Student Engagement

Being part of STN can ignite students’ passion for media and journalism, providing them with a platform to showcase their talents and creativity. This engagement can lead to increased motivation and a deeper understanding of media production.

Implementing STN in Your Media Program

Here are practical steps to integrate STN into a media program:

Join STN

Visit the member Dashboard and sign up for a membership. The annual membership fee of $125 provides access to all resources, contests, and events. This membership is a valuable resource for sharing ideas, asking questions, and getting support from the STN community.

Involve Students

Introduce students to STN contests and encourage their participation. This can be a great way to motivate students and give them a sense of accomplishment. Showcase past winning entries to inspire students and set expectations for the quality of work.

Read also: Guide to UC Davis Student Housing

Utilize STN Resources

Start by exploring the Lesson Plan Exchange and contest curriculum on the member Dashboard, where handouts, project ideas, and video tutorials can be found. These resources can be easily incorporated into existing media programs.

Attend the STN Convention

Participate in the STN National Convention, where students can compete in live contests, attend workshops, and meet industry professionals. This is a great opportunity for hands-on learning and networking.

Celebrate Student Success

Regularly submit students’ work to contests and showcase their achievements within the school and community. The recognition received can help build the program’s reputation and attract more students.

Getting Started with STN

For new teachers or those just starting with STN, the STN community is available to provide support. A good approach is to start small by incorporating one or two contests to spark students’ interest and gradually expand involvement as comfort level increases.

STN Standards

The Student Television Network sets standards that guide its educational programs, competitions, and overall mission to ensure high-quality media education for students. These standards cover several key areas:

Read also: Investigating the Death at Purdue

Educational Standards

STN provides a curriculum that focuses on developing students' technical skills in areas such as video production, editing, scriptwriting, and on-air performance. This includes the use of industry-standard software and equipment. The curriculum also emphasizes creative aspects of media production, including storytelling, visual composition, and effective communication. Students are encouraged to develop original content that is engaging and impactful. STN emphasizes the importance of ethical journalism and responsible media production, teaching students to adhere to ethical guidelines that promote accuracy, fairness, and integrity in their work.

Competition Standards

STN competitions are designed to simulate real-world media production environments. Entries are judged by industry professionals on their technical quality, creativity, and adherence to professional standards. Competitions are structured to ensure fairness and inclusivity, allowing students from diverse backgrounds and skill levels to participate. There are categories for novice and advanced students to level the playing field. The organization uses rubrics and assessment tools to evaluate student work consistently and objectively. These tools are designed to measure both technical proficiency and creative expression.

Program Standards

STN provides schools with comprehensive educational resources, including lesson plans, video tutorials, and pro sessions. These resources are aligned with national education standards and are designed to support teachers in delivering high-quality media education. STN offers professional development opportunities for educators, helping them stay current with industry trends and best practices. This includes workshops, webinars, and access to a network of media professionals. STN fosters a culture of continuous improvement by providing detailed feedback on student projects and competition entries, helping students learn from their experiences and refine their skills over time.

Leadership and Citizenship Standards

STN promotes leadership development through its mentorship programs and student leadership opportunities. Students are encouraged to take on leadership roles within their media programs and competition teams. STN standards also emphasize the importance of community service and civic engagement.

STN's Curriculum and Lesson Plan Exchange

In 2022, STN released a supplemental broadcast and film curriculum as an exclusive benefit to its members. The curriculum, created by Education Coordinator Josh Cantrell, is designed to act as an “a la carte” curriculum guide where teachers can choose how to best fit each lesson into their existing curriculum. These lessons are specifically designed to support and better prepare students for the contests STN offers throughout the year.

In addition to the curriculum, members have exclusive access to a new and improved Lesson Plan Exchange, which allows members to share lesson ideas with other STN teachers who are looking for project ideas beyond what is offered in the curriculum.

A Look Back: The Origins of STN

The Student Television Network began as the Student Videotape Network in 1974. The purpose of the STVN was to provide interested students with an opportunity to gain practical and educational experience with small format television.

Archival Collection Contents: A Glimpse into STVN History

The archival collection of STVN programs offers a fascinating look into the organization's early years. The collection includes a variety of tapes, showcasing the diverse range of content produced by students.

Box 1

Tape 1 (3/1/86): UNH vs. Northeastern (basketball)
Tape 2 (1986): Sportsbeat 3/5/1986; Perspectives #I-Spring 1986
Tape 3 (1983): 1982-83, UNH Hockey Review
Tape 4 (undated): Master Football tape
Tape 5 (12/4/86): URI vs. UNH-tape 1 (basketball)
Tape 6 (12/4/86): URI vs. UNH-tape 2 (basketball)
Tape 7 (12/4/86): URI vs. UNH-tape 3 (basketball)
Tape 8 (undated): UNH vs. Lehigh
Tape 9 (undated): UNH vs. Lehigh
Tape 10 (undated): UNH vs. Northeastern-tape 2 (basketball)
Tape 11 (undated): UNH vs. Northeastern-tape 3 (basketball)
Tape 12 (undated): Homecoming
Tape 13 (undated): STVN Commercials

Box 2

Tape 1 (undated): Edited Symphony Topics
Tape 2 (1984): 1984 Christmas Special
Tape 3 (undated): Herb-Burger King
Tape 4 (4/10/1986): Broadcast Panel-Alumni Center-tape 1-April 10, 1986
Tape 5 (4/10/1986): Broadcast Panel-Alumni Center-tape 2-April 10, 1986
Tape 6 (9/9/86): Audio Auditions-September 9, 1986
Tape 7 (undated): STVN Mobile Unit
Tape 8 (undated): "And Through It All" (Soap Opera Episodes)
Tape 9 (undated): "And Through It All" (Soap Opera Episodes)
Tape 10 (undated): La Cruelle Nudiste
Tape 11 (undated): "Things People Want To Know"
Tape 12 (undated): "Garp" part 1
Tape 13 (undated): University Topics

Box 3

Tape 1 (undated): Perspectives "New" (Opening!)
Tape 2 (undated): Perspectives opening
Tape 3 (1984-1985): Perspectives #2 and #3 Semester I (1984-1985)
Tape 4 (undated): Perspectives 1; Perspectives 2
Tape 5 (undated): Perspectives 3-"The Big Deal", "Shanty" and "Outback"
Tape 6 (undated): Intro-Perspectives III
Tape 7 (undated): Perspectives 3
Tape 8 (undated): Perspectives 3 and 4
Tape 9 (undated): Perspectives #1 1)Springfest 2)Registration
Tape 10 (undated): SVR edit
Tape 11 (undated): Berlin Final
Tape 12 (undated): Militia Piece
Tape 13 (undated): Gordon Haaland
Tape 14 (undated): Apartheid

Box 4

Tape 1 (undated): Foundation and Analysis
Tape 2 (undated): George F.

tags: #student #television #network #guide