Christina Hills from Katherine Albiani Middle School in the Elk Grove Unified School District is this week’s SEVA Teacher of the Week!
Ms. Hills is fairly new to the world of media education, but has had a focus of building school community throughout her 20 year career as a teacher in the Elk Grove Unified School District. She came to the world of media education through yearbook where she realized the possibilities video could hold. She wanted to start a weekly broadcast to help build community, and, while looking for help in this endeavor, found the SEVA teacher community. With the group, she was able to overhaul her entire program and raise the standard of production. With her leadership, students are able to make a direct impact to their school through their news broadcast. Their broadcasts contain character-building advocacy lessons that further help the entire school community. Her students especially mention her kindness, which is a character trait that she helps to instill in all her students.
During the time of distance-learning, Ms. Hills has seen the value of media education grow. Her students were able to transition to online learning with the vital skill of being true digital citizenship thanks to the training they received in her class. Ms. Hills’ students have become news since they themselves are living through this historical event. Her students have turned inward, and learned new things about themselves and how to share and document their experience through media. Through media, her KAMS TV news team has only strengthened their bond during this time. Thank you, Ms. Hills for showing how media can strengthen bonds of community.
