SEK Sports Exchange provides highschool college students a shot at real-world expertise

When Pittsburg High School sophomore Lauryn Keller picked up a digital camera, she by no means imagined she’d be taking pictures images from the sidelines of soccer video games that could be printed by skilled media shops.

“I used to only do landscape and nature photography, but now I’ve learned how to do sports and it has opened up a whole new passion for me,” Keller stated. “It boosted my confidence, helped me create an Instagram page dedicated to my work, and taught me to be unbiased and just shoot.” 

That alternative got here by the SEK Sports Exchange, a brand new program created by Pittsburg State University Professor Ken Ward (Communication).  

The initiative connects scholar photographers from excessive colleges throughout the area with group newspapers that need assistance overlaying native sports activities — particularly “away games.” 

“This helps community newspapers at a time they’re struggling, and it provides students with access to some of the cool resources we have in hopes that perhaps they’ll come here for their studies,” Ward stated. “My goal is to connect the dots between high schools, publications, and us. It’s been a successful experiment this fall, and I’m hoping to expand it in the future.” 

Getting the photographs

Each Friday evening throughout soccer season, college students from Chanute, Iola, Pittsburg, and Prairie View seize motion from highschool video games and add their greatest photographs to a web-based workspace Ward created. Area newspapers quick on workers can entry the images to be used of their protection in change for crediting the scholars and sending printed tear sheets for his or her portfolios. 

“We reach out to them to let them know we have a student from a partner school photographing it,” Ward stated. 

Students obtain one-on-one instruction and suggestions from Ward — and their academics can, too, if they want. Their work is regularly printed, together with on the Pitt State Photo J Instagram account, giving them an early style {of professional} publicity. 

College-level

To enrich the expertise, a number of college students have visited campus to shoot from the sidelines at Gorilla soccer video games in Carnie Smith Stadium. They’ve used college tools, shot pregame warmups, toured the highest of the Jungletron digital scoreboard, and watched Pitt State media manufacturing college students name the sport reside. 

Photo by Lauryn Keller

“They got to see our media production operation up close,” Ward stated. “It’s a great way to show them what college-level journalism and photography look like.” 

Win-win

At Pittsburg High School, Keller’s advisor Nikki Foster stated she plans to increase participation when basketball season begins. 

“This opportunity is fantastic real-world experience in professional sports,” Foster stated. “Sometimes student sports photographers only shoot their own team, but in professional settings you have to cover both sides fairly. This helps them learn that. Luckily, photography skills are needed everywhere — business, marketing, social media — and experiences like this help students see that.” 

 

At Chanute High School, advisor Dustin Fox has 5 scholar photographers who shoot every recreation, with two of them specializing in the opposing group for the primary half. Senior Kaanin Pontious and junior Kynleigh Oliver have been a part of the change this fall. 

“Both of them are very talented photographers and have some interest in pursuing photography in the future,” Fox stated. “Any time we can give our kids the opportunity to have their work published and seen by others is a win. It’s definitely motivating, and Kaanin and Kynleigh have a healthy competition going to see whose photo gets published each week.” 

Pontious stated the expertise has been rewarding. 

Photo by Kaanin Pontious

“Getting photos published is always a good experience,” Pontious stated. “It makes all the time and thought I put into the thing I love most feel like it’s worth it. When a professional group of people use my work, it gives me a feeling like I am one of them.” 

 

Oliver agreed.  

“It was a great feeling seeing more of my photos published and getting to see them in papers I hadn’t even heard of,” she stated. “It was super cool to show people that far away my talent.” 

For Ward, that sense of satisfaction and connection is strictly the purpose. 

“It’s about giving students meaningful experience, supporting local journalism, and building community through storytelling,” he stated. 

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Learn extra:

Pitt State Communication Department

Professor Ken Ward