Hannah Jacobson, 17

Hannah broke the news to residents of Waverly, Iowa, this summer.

The senior at The Colorado Springs School was part of a group selected to learn about television, radio and the role of mass communication in society at the Wartburg Summer Broadcasting Workshop in July. Intensive study and use of technology, including new media applications, were part of the annual workshop/camp.

“Over the course of five days, we did things like shoot our own television show … we also did a live radio show,” Hannah said, “and we visited various news stations. We learned how to operate all the behind-the scenes equipment, like working the teleprompter — which is actually surprisingly hard.”

Hannah said the participants also made their own public service announcements. “Ours was for the camp itself. They’re actually going to use it throughout the year.”

Jacobson and the other participants also used digital equipment to complete short audio and video assignments, including a radio commercial, and participated in live radio shows and television newscasts.

Participatory learning isn’t new for Hannah. Jessica James, director of communications at The Colorado Springs School, said hands-on learning is the focus of CSS, which is a private, independent school.

“We’re a pre-K through 12th-grade school, and we really expose our kids to a lot of experiential learning, really hands-on,” James said.

Part of that is the school’s Experience Centered Seminars, which take kids out of the classroom to learn. They’ve even had kids go to the Galapagos Islands, James said.

“The whole idea around the Colorado Springs School is really encouraging our students to explore that next step, to look at things outside of the textbook.”

While Hannah certainly explored broadcast journalism at the workshop, funded by the Iowa Broadcasters Association, media studies aren’t her only interest.

“If I can just brag on Hannah here,” James said, “last summer she helped out the communications departments with our radio commercial. We were just doing an advertisement, and she was called in, and she was just a natural.

“Her volleyball team has had success over the last couple of years, and her team has been invited to be in ads for Mr. Biggs and KRDO.”

Hannah is considering journalism as a career.

“It’s definitely one of the options I’m considering. I wanted to explore what it would be like to become a broadcast journalist. … I’m not dead-set on it, it’s definitely high up there. I would actually like to be a reporter.  … I would like to travel if I was a reporter; I would like to go overseas and get the stories most people are afraid to get. It’s really difficult, especially these days, to get the real story.”

But she has more ideas for her future occupation.

“Oh, it’s all over the place,” Hannah said. “I’ve thought about nursing, becoming a pilot, physical therapy, dentistry.”

James, who says that connecting with the kids makes her job more meaningful, thinks Hannah could do any of the above.

“She’s a great communicator and a natural people person, and all of those positions would play to those kinds of skills,” James said. “She’s got a lot of skills that could go in a lot of directions.”

This summer, Hannah also spent time as a counselor with the Bee Bunch, a kids group at The Broadmoor that goes on hikes, does crafts, plays games and goes on trips.

“I love being around children, so it was a really fun job,” Hannah said.

Hannah also tried out working in dentist Christina Sletten’s business, Rock Dental.

“I did whatever they needed me to,” Hannah said. “Up-front work, answered telephones, wiped down chairs, filed, made charts. … Observed what the doctor did.”

She was psyched when she got “promoted” and was able to hold the device that suctions saliva out of patients’ mouths.

With the help of CSS’ college counselor Rusty Haynes, Hannah is making plans for after she graduates high school.

Q&A

What was your favorite part of the workshop in Iowa?

“I really liked doing the radio; it was a definite confidence booster. But I also liked being on TV. I really can’t pick a favorite part, all of it was such a neat experience.”

How did you find out about the workshop?

“We actually have a program here called ECS. The ECS is actually what encouraged me” (to go to the camp).

Where do you want to go to college?

“My No. 1 choice is Point Loma Nazarene University. It’s like 15 minutes away from San Diego in California. And I’m also looking at Westmont, and Biola. And Biola actually has an excellent communications program.”

All three are Christian colleges in California.

What attracts you about California?

“I find it’s very similar to Colorado in a lot of different ways — besides the whole ocean part. But I knew I wanted to get out of state because I have a feeling I’ll end up back in Colorado, because I love it here so much. So I wanted to get out of state to have that experience. … I wanted a small Christian college.”