Manheim Township School District and Manheim Township Educational Foundation staff recently joined librarian Karen Leisey and instructional technology specialist Brandi Swavely for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the official opening of new media production studios in the high school library. Each of the two studios houses a complete set of podcasting equipment for four students, including a Rodecaster Pro soundboard, four headphones and four microphones, a computer for editing and a television monitor for show notes.
These unique spaces were funded by a grant from MTEF, made possible by a generous contribution from APR Supply Co. A gift from the MTHS class of 2001 also supported this project.
Leisey and Swavely applied for the MTEF grant to support their vision for this project, which emerged from a desire to provide students with a versatile platform for creating videos and recording podcasts. Dedicated areas in the library minimize distractions and maximize sound quality and allow students access to tools regardless of course enrollment.