SEVA Studio: Sutter Middle School

The Pick
Sacramento City Unified
Established: 2015
Class Website

Studio Profile

The Pick is a weekly video broadcast created in the SEVA Studio at Sutter Middle School. The broadcast airs every Monday during Core classes. 8th grade students are responsible for planning the content for each episode, recording all the segments, and putting together the final broadcast. One of the most unique things about this program is that the students are only in the class for one year so they can’t waste any time getting started. Kyle Heckey, the media teacher at Sutter, works his magic each year training young media producers to create award-winning segments in record time. Mr. Heckey’s class is full of students who have stories about being shy or reserved before being put in front of the camera. There are also quite a few that have found a new passion they plan on pursuing in high school and beyond. Each year SEVA judges are amazed at the quality of videos that come out of this program and it seems like each year the videos only get better.

2020
Creative Expression 7-8: Sticks & Stones (SEVA)
Documentary 7-8: This is Dross (Honorable Mention)
Instructional 7-8: Afternoon Tea for Dummies (SEVA)
PSA 7-8: The Best Option is Adoption! (SEVA)

2019
Creative Expression 7-8: Disconnected (Honorable Mention)
Documentary 7-8: Digital First Responders: #ICANHELP (SEVA)
Documentary 7-8: Paws for a Cause (Honorable Mention)
Instructional 7-8: The Trail (SEVA)
School News 7-8: The Pick: Episode 23 (Honorable Mention

2018
Creative Expression 7-8: Always Recycle (SEVA)
Documentary 7-8: Our City’s Walls (SEVA)
Documentary 7-8: More than What Meets the Surface (Honorable Mention)
PSA 7-8: Julian’s Germs SEVA (SEVA)
School News 7-8: The Pick Season 4 Episode 13 (Honorable Mention)

2017
Creative Expression 7-8: How to Become a Fencer (SEVA)
Documentary 7-8: Front Street Animal Shelter (SEVA)
School News 7-8: The Pick Episode 23 (SEVA)

2016
Creative Expression 7-8: Water You Thinking (SEVA)
School News 7-8: The Pick Episode 23 (Honorable Mention)

2015
School News 7-8: The Pick Episode 23 (Honorable Mention)

SEVA Teacher Kyle Heckey

Kyle Heckey has been teaching media for 4 of his 17 years of teaching. One of Mr. Heckey’s biggest passions in media is showing his students that although videos can require hard work to create, they are worth the effort to have a lasting project that lives on after school is over. His students’ hard work shows in the SEVA Awards they have collected over the years. If you look in his classroom, it’s no surprise that his favorite SEVA category is creative expression. He gives his students the flexibility to create whatever they are passionate about, and is always there to help in any way he can. Over the years submissions from his students have involved everything from recycling, to school ghosts, germs and the golden rule! Student creativity not only shined, but it was clear that it was encouraged and nurtured by Mr. Heckey. Mr. Heckey has constant curiosity and eagerness to learn!