Staples High teachers Jim Honeycutt and Mike Zito spent many years running the school’s Media Lab.
Jim Honeycutt
They’re retired now, but have followed the radio and TV productions — and more — with great interest. In response to Sunday’s “06880” Opinion piece about the “On the Wreckord” show, they write:
We support Kasey Feeley and her passionate advocacy for “On the Wreckord.”
We started the Staples TV program “Good Morning Staples” around 2011. We had so much support from the Staples administration that our teaching load was reduced to 4 classes, to allow us the time to produce the show twice a week with our TV Production classes.
The 2 TV classes had 4 periods each week to produce a 20-minute “Good Morning Staples” show. We worked frantically, but managed for each class to get a show out each week.
The first “Good Morning Staples” show (including yours truly) …
Jim’s motto for the show was “Building Community Through Communication.” Twice a week during the school’s “Communication Time,” it was shown throughout the school. Everything stopped, in every classroom.
Our last “GMS” aired June 2016, the year we retired.
Unfortunately, the show was not sustained. The media program is still very successful, but went in a different direction.
Years later English instructor Mary Elizabeth Fulco contacted Jim for help. Inklings — the school paper — was interested in broadcasting a show similar to “GMS.”
Both of us helped. We worked with one student, and made some suggestions.
We watched the shows get better and better as time went by. They were well on their way.
Mike Zito, in the Staples Media Lab.
It would be more than a shame for “On the Wreckord” to go the way of “GMS.”
“On the Wreckord” will be a key to many students’ future college and career paths. We have had incredibly talented students over the years grace our TV shows. Eric Gallanty, DJ Sixsmith and Cooper Boardman are 3 who come immediately to mind. They are now broadcast professionals.
Jon Karmen went on to make the hit Netflix movie “Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admission Scandal.” While at Staples, he and Jake Andrews created the RubyDog 189 channel on YouTube. “Mentos: The Fresh Maker” had over 3 million views.
Many other students have gone on to careers, in a variety of media roles.
We told our students that more video is being shot now than ever before in world history. There are many jobs and careers out there.
A 4-part “Good Morning Staples” series starred TV Production student Charlie Greenwald (right) and Spanish teacher Horacio Ballesteros. Greenwald went on to study communications at Emerson College.
I am sure Kasey Feeley will find her place in that world as well. Keeping “On the Wreckord” supported is not only the right thing to do; it is something that should be supported and expanded.
We implore the Staples administration and Board of Education to support the development of media programs like “On the Wreckord” and “Good Morning Staples.” These programs build school community, and allow students to develop media skills that they can continue into college and careers beyond.
(NOTE: All “Good Morning Staples” shows can be found on YouTube.)
(“06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Email 06880blog@gmail.com.)