“I’m very proud to know and work with this group of young people, and can’t wait to see the great things they’ll end up achieving in the future.”
– WRAL-TV Steve Elizondo
The 2016-17 WRAL-TV Explorer Post 5 Team.
The 2016-2017 WRAL Explorer Post 5 Team recently wrapped up their year of learning at the Big 5. WRAL-TV Digital Media Administrator Steve Elizondo helps coordinate and run the program. He shared his thoughts on the past year working with Post 5 with Capcom:
I was asked a few years ago if I would be interested in supporting WRAL’s Explorer Post 5 as an advisor. That was a no brainer for me, since I’ve enjoyed coaching and teaching young people for many years in the Raleigh Rec Baseball leagues, CASL, and at my church – Crossroads Fellowship — on Sunday mornings.
I started working with WRAL-TV Station Manager Jim Rothschild, who was leading at the time, and learned the ropes from him. Jim encouraged me to give as much responsibility to the Post 5 leaders as possible, to empower them.
This new generation of Post 5 youth immediately amazed me with their knowledge of computers, and their ability to utilize the latest technology to be creative. I’ve realized over the last two years that this generation that grew up using computers as children are capable of so much more, all they need is encouragement and good training.
Tim King, right, is one of many WRAL employees who help the Post 5 team learn on a regular basis.
WRAL-TV Maintenance Engineer Chris Cormier and former CBC’er Ken Bland are excellent co-advisors for Explorer Post 5. Chris helps with good training structure advice and follow through, and Ken is the most devoted volunteer I’ve ever known in my life. Chris and I tell the Post 5 team that “guys like us come and go, but Ken has been a constant fixture on Thursday nights at WRAL with Post 5 for 35 years!”
The Post 5 team’s latest and greatest achievement – the “Look Before You Cross” PSA – was produced by teens to reach teens. Malcolm Byron, seen in the opening shot of the :30 spot, was the originator of the project. Malcolm came up with the concept for the spot, based on a recent fatal accident at his high school in Fuquay-Varina, and research that he conducted himself.
Post 5 member Evelyn Hemedinger operates Chryon during the Post 5 “mini newscast” with the help of WRAL-TV’s Athena Curry.
He came to the Post 5 Advisors requesting that the team try to shoot and produce the public service announcement urging teens to “always look before you cross.” The project became a full Post 5 team effort, with members participating in the writing of the spot and shooting of the footage.
Lexi Swartz, Post 5 Vice President in charge of Activities, who has an interest in graphic design, came up with the graphic text treatments. Nate Montalvo, a first year member came up with the winning edit – one among several that the team submitted and picked among themselves.
I’m very proud to know and work with this group of young people, and can’t wait to see the great things they’ll end up achieving in the future.
This experience with Post 5 is just one more thing that I’m excited and thankful to be a part of at WRAL-TV.
Thanks to WRAL-TV’s Steve Eilzondo for these capcom photos & this capcom video.
