The BHS UpDate is a broadcast that films and releases content to bring attention to issues that involve students’ lives. Today, the UpDate is overseen by BHS teacher Jennifer Bedard and continues to broadcast sports, school activities, anchors, announcements, bloopers and recently added game shows. 

Each month at least 23 to 24 Multimedia II students work on the UpDate dividing into groups. During this beginning process, stories are picked first come, first serve. These students play various roles including recorders, anchors, script writers, and editors to name a few. Production starts about 3 weeks before the content is shared allowing for brainstorming, script writing, setting up, filming, interviewing, and editing to happen. A goal of at least two student related stories, with a video length of at least 15 minutes, is needed each month. 

“To my knowledge, the BHS UpDate started in the mid 1990s. I believe it was a group of English teachers,” BHS senior Karter Francis said. “The library had a bunch of VHS tapes sitting and the library asked the group of teachers that they should make a broadcast for the school.” 

Despite the demanding process, the students involved find what they do very entertaining and fun. They even have the bloopers to prove it with as much as over 30 bloopers for each UpDate broadcast. 

“When we film anchors, they have a loose script,” BHS sophomore Katarina Sevart said. “And when filming, many of them, in the middle of a sentence, have a long pause, lose their train of thought and just space out. It’s just hilarious.” 

 “Last year we had a segment about mocking BHS. I was one of the recorders for this segment and we were going up this steep stair,” Sevart said. “And the mic that was on the other camera wasn’t working, and I was talking to Bedard about it, and all of a sudden, I slid down 3 steps, and the camera came off of the tripod and went flying. Luckily though, one of the other students caught the camera just in time and nothing was broken.” 

Behind the scenes, the laughter, interactions, and the relationships with peers is evident in the stories the Multimedia II students share. In front of the screen, the broadcasting they release is a result of hard work and knowledge of cinematography. In the future they hope to add more off topic stories, haunted edits, student success stories, and more bloopers to the end credits. 

“Knowing how to use a camera, seeing great quality films you have not seen before,” Students of Multimedia II said. “And having a relationship with peers around you is part of what makes the UpDate what it is today.”