Mt. Lebanon students tour C-SPAN interactive van
Doug Hemmig understands that C-SPAN may not be the coolest television station to watch for teenagers. It’s “Netflix and chill,” not “C-SPAN and chill,” for a reason.
But Hemmig believes C-SPAN’s public service resources are vital to keeping the American people informed of the going-ons in Washington, D.C.
By Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
C-SPAN marketing representative Doug Hemmig spoke to Bill Lewis’ ninth grade civics class on the C-SPAN bus in Mt. Lebanon.
That’s why Hemmig, a marketing representative at C-SPAN, was on a new “state-of-the-art” motor coach bus at Mt. Lebanon High School on the morning of Dec. 11 to display C-SPAN’s resources to students and teachers.
“I think any time you can offer a new resource or a new tool for students to create that awareness, that’s the goal of the C-SPAN Bus Program. (The students) are going to be the future leaders of the country, so we want to give them the tools for them to make informed decisions.”
Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
Doug Hemmig, a C-SPAN marketing representative, spoke to the Mt. Lebanon social studies students on the bus about the importance of being politically engaged and informed.
Along with Mt. Lebanon, the C-SPAN Bus, partnering with Comcast, also visited Steel Valley High School.
“C-SPAN really has a wide breadth of educational resources that really are designed to not only help students when they are researching something, but to really get them engaged in civics and understanding how important their voices are in decision making,” Comcast spokeswoman Josephine Posti said. “So bringing the bus into communities that we serve is a fun, visual way for them to really understand how big decisions are made that impact them.”
The 45-foot bus features numerous interactive tools and technology for students, including 11 large-screen tablets with C-SPAN programming and educational resources, a smart TV and classroom area, a high-definition TV production studio, a 360-degree video station and a D.C.-themed selfie station.
Groups of 12 students filed into the C-SPAN Bus in 15-minute increments to listen to a short presentation from Hemmig about C-SPAN’s resources and ending with hands-on activities using the tablets.
Jacob Calvin Meyer/ The Almanac
Jacob Calvin Meyer/ The Almanac
C-SPAN’s new 45-foot customized motor coach made its first visit to the Pittsburgh region at Mt. Lebanon High School Dec. 11. The goal of the bus tour is to engage students in C-SPAN’s services and the importance of being informed.
“I think it’s unique,” Hennig said. “The bus is designed for students and teachers to come on board and have that wow factor, but also have the opportunity (to see) what content they could use in the classroom.”
The first class of the morning was Bill Lewis’ ninth-grade civics class.
“We want them to be educated and informed citizens,” Lewis said. “Current events are important and we want them to be aware of them. C-SPAN does a great job of taking bias out and letting the viewers make their own decisions, and I think that’s good for kids.”
The C-SPAN Bus has been touring the country with its cable and satellite providers to schools and community events since 1993. Starting this September, C-SPAN launched the “50 Capitals Tour,” during which the bus will travel to every U.S. state capital, ending next November.
Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
Students from Bill Lewis’ ninth grade civics class were the first to tour the C-SPAN bus.
At the end of his presentation to the students, Hemmig introduced C-SPAN’s national student documentary competition, StudentCam. This year, applicants are asked to make a five-to-seven minute video about the U.S. Constitution and why it’s important to the students. C-SPAN will award 150 students for a total of $100,000.
The competition is for grades 6 through 12, and the deadline to submit at www.studentcam.org is Jan. 18.