The Fort Thomas Independent School (FTIS) system is known as an innovator in many areas, from unique programs for younger students to post-graduate preparation for soon-to-be grads. But one area has become somewhat of an FTIS “specialty” not only on our own turf but across the entire state.

For many years, the schools of our district have been pioneers in the area of broadcasting and media. From the “Mustang Round-up” at Moyer Elementary to the daily news broadcasts of Highlands High School, few school systems are able to prepare future news anchors and creative thinkers as our own hometown media teachers. 

One way the media departments of our schools continue to stay in the forefront of the field is from supplemental funding of new technologies – and help from the Fort Thomas Education Foundation.

With grant assistance from the FTEF, the Highlands Middle School media department has received state of the art sets, new 4K cameras and editing computers for the middle school students. All of it technology which can help media students reach new levels of expertise in the ever-changing field.

“It can be kind of daunting to see the price points of the equipment we use to run our daily announcements and live streams of school events,” says Dillon Goettke, media arts teacher at Highlands Middle School. “Having a community-funded supplemental source is a great help to achieve the goals of a growing program, especially when that program deals with constantly updating technologies. It’s also really reassuring as a teacher to see the investment from parents and the community for what we do! We will always try to turn that around by providing services for the community with what we are so lucky to receive.”

Goettke says he tends to act and think of himself more as an “executive producer” of the work media students do in his classroom than as a typical instructor – allowing students to foster their creative ideas with his help and guidance. And he’d love to see the production capabilities grow even more toward facilitating student imaginations.

“I’d love to one day have additional space to build out a sound stage,” Goettke says when he wonders what the future for the department could hold. “A place where we could have a foley pit, have prebuilt set walls that we can rearrange, a full prop and costume closet. Basically, a mini studio lot where students can film their projects or short films and build a scene from scratch without just having to use the school hallways as location. A place where if they can imagine it, we can build it and create a film.”

It’s also not lost on Goettke how unique it is for teachers to have this additional support from the community towards its schools, and he realizes how special it makes the people and parents of Fort Thomas.

“I think the work that the FTEF does and has done for us is invaluable,” Goettke adds.” Not only the monetary contributions, but the support, encouragement and dedication to see success at every turn is the kind of thing teachers dream of for their programs and students.”