Media Club Flourishes in 2024
By Logan Dratch ‘26
Now that the school year is halfway over, it is clear that Saint Joe’s has been trending in a positive direction, with facility updates, new teachers and classes, and expanding clubs. One such club is the Media Club, which is responsible for documenting all the major academic, athletic, and service-related events. This is done through a variety of platforms, most notably social media, the WSJR morning show, and the new Knight’s Connect Sports Podcast. Ultimately, Media Club, which has grown to over 50 members this year, allows students to develop stronger communication, technological, and teamwork skills.
The aforementioned WSJR morning program features a five-minute live-streamed news show that informs all students and teachers about what is going on around school each day. The show’s two hosts begin each day with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then discuss a wide range of topics, including professional sports, school sports, and service opportunities. The show also highlights the unique experiences and accomplishments of Green Knights through interviews. Interested students can get involved in the morning announcements through a variety of roles, such as executive producer, technical director, host, cameraman, reporter, audio and playback coordinator, streamer, and floor director. This allows anyone to get involved, whether they want to be on camera or remain behind the scenes.
The Knight’s Connect Sports Podcast is the newest addition to Media Club, thanks to the hard work of Jack Iglesias ‘27 and Liam Fahey ‘24. This podcast was created to allow students who are interested in media and broadcasting but are unable to get to school at 7:15 A.M. to participate in a recorded discussion. Not only is there more time to prepare and less stage fright in this after-school podcast, but participants also get to choose the topics they discuss, which makes it easier for people to get acclimated with Media Club. Students interested in this podcast have been rehearsing for several months, and the second episode, “Pigskin Playoffs: 2024” was released a week ago. Both the WSJR morning show and Knight’s Connect Sports Podcast take place in the recently renovated WJSR- TV Studio.
The other main way to get involved in Media Club is through social media, in which students can document different school or sporting events and upload them to different social media platforms, such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. This aspect of Media Club is ideal for students who prefer to be on the other side of the camera and improve their photography and videography skills. It also improves their digital literacy, specifically by teaching them how to create visually appealing posts and write engaging stories and captions. In addition, members of Media Club are able to exhibit their interest in sports by participating in play-by-play broadcasting for some of the school’s sports, including football, basketball, wrestling, and lacrosse.
Another unique feature of Media Club is that several guest speakers come to Saint Joe’s to share their experiences in their media-related careers. Most recently, John Flaherty ‘85 returned to Saint Joe’s to discuss what he learned from studying and playing baseball at SJR and George Washington University. He also played on several major league teams, including the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and New York Yankees. After retiring from professional baseball, Flaherty became a sports commentator and analyst for the New York Yankees on the YES Network. During his recent visit, Flaherty explained how he was a shy kid in high school but gained confidence while playing the sport he loved. He then talked about his transition into commentary, and he encouraged everyone in the Media Club to step out of their comfort zones and to be confident in their abilities. The current Green Knights were able to ask Flaherty about his career, especially regarding what he learned from playing baseball and how it helped prepare him for his media career. They also received invaluable advice about balancing academics, athletics, and their passion for media from someone who was once in their shoes.
The expanding Media Club has already had a positive impact on the school, which couldn’t have been possible without the coordination efforts of Mr. Ryan Asselta ‘94, support from President Robert Fazio, Craig Babcock ‘11, SJR administration and the hard work of countless Green Knights.