CTE Students of the Year named
Media Productions is a Career and Technical Education class offered at Lake Shore High School where students have the opportunity to learn and practice media.
Blaszkowski, thrives through the adversity as her class continues to show other schools Lake Shore can have CTE programs too. Blaszkoski’s Media class has top students, including seniors Zachary Cardenas and Abigail Finnazo, who were chosen CTE Students of the Year.
Blaszkowski spoke highly of the CTE Students of the Year.
She said,“Abigail and Zachary have been important parts of the media productions program for several years. They both have consistently demonstrated an exceptional blend of skills and leadership in class. Their commitment to working on new projects and taking the lead on many projects, as well as working with staff and administration on district and school projects, has brought Abigail and Zachary life skills that make them stand above other students.”
Cardenas said,“I had a general interest in media, but I heard what we do in the class and the equipment provided really made for a great overall experience.”
Finazzo said, “I actually have been doing videos since I was little. My dad does it, so I’ve grown up watching him do it and I’ve fallen in love with it. So, now I actually work with him, and now I do it outside of school too.”
Cardenas’ general interest and Finazzo’s prior experience with her dad are one of many reasons why they were chosen as CTE Students of the Year.
Cardenas stated, “Absolutely, I have a great passion for filmmaking, and I plan to do it after school. I want to be a director/filmmaker as I just love creating something, as creative as a field like that, that is the perfect fit.”
Cardenas’ passion for filmmaking is the reason he wants to do it after school; he hopes to find a career path in the media industry.
Cardenas said, “In this class you get very immersed into the media making process. You get to really learn the ropes in editing, camerawork, and even airing things live with the shorian report. It’s all extremely hands-on learning compared to Intro to Media or Media 1 which
I feel is what makes it so great.”
Cardenas exclaims that “hands-on learning and slowly learning the ropes of media is what makes the class so amazing.”
“This class is like a big family. Once you get to know everybody, it’s super fun. If you have a good class, you are super close to each other. Overall, it’s a really fun class,” Finazzo said.
Finazzo expresses her thoughts and feelings about the class. She really enjoys the period and her classmates. She has formed a strong bond with the others in her class, and considers them to be family.
Finazzo said, “Competition videos are a challenge because you want to try to win. You don’t win every year.”
Finazzo thinks that making competition videos in the class is challenging because everyone wants to win the competition; they all try their hardest and it makes it difficult to choose a winner.
These students work extremely hard on a day-today basis, and Lake Shore’s CTE programs are progressing based on the future. This class is highly recommended to those with a shared media skill set.