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Annual Contest Inspires Humor
The "Hillcrest Music Video Smackdown" gave Broadcast I and II students a chance to show their creative sides on "The Friday Show." The contest happens every spring, and this year five teams entered music videos, choosing from seven songs provided by Coach Davis. "I gave them plenty of variety, and they took it from there. We actually had eight teams sign up, but only five met deadline and were judged," Davis said. The judging is done by classes selected by Davis, including a mix of grades 9 through 12 so there is a broader group voting.	"We could have just had outside judges pick the best video, but the production teams know their peers are picking the best video, so they definitely have a grasp of who their main audience is," said Davis. Seniors Ross Roggow and Ethan Barnett acted as the hosts for the Smackdown, introducing each video. Teams included sophomores, juniors and seniors. They had two full weeks to plan, shoot, and edit their entries. "It was fun, but a little stressful getting it finished in time," said sophomore Paige Moffis. Her team was hampered as deadline approached because two members were ill and unable to attend school.	The five videos were screened on April 16, and the winning entry will have bragging rights, plus a pizza party. One surprise this year was a special video not entered in the competition, but produced for the closing of the show. It included the efforts of last year's winners, Bryon Williams and Morgan Ruiz, in a production of a Stevie Wonder classic. This year's winner will be announced the week of April 19. Top|Home

Middle Schoolers Get "Inside Look" at HTV
A new video tour that parodies MTV's "Cribs" will help give middle schoolers a better idea of what HTV is all about. Seniors Olivia Tinkler, Mitch Easter and Kendra Edmonds helped with the project, which will be part of a 30-minute presentation for middle schools students who will attend Hillcrest. "We used to do this more often, so it's nice to visit the feeder schools and let them know we have a lot to offer," said long-time HTV adviser Dave Davis. "It was fun to do something fast and lighthearted," said Tinkler. "We hope	showing the studio and edit bays helps future students get more excited about the program." Davis shot the video as the three on-camera students guide viewers through the classroom and the studio space. There are sequences about the trips HTV regularly takes, and Edmonds even shows off the pantry. "We're lucky to have all we have, and even the little touches like the pantry and the office make the broadcasting space unique," said Edmonds. In addition to the "Cribs" video, the	presentation includes clips of HTV stories and "The Friday Show" to show the ways students can get involved in with video production. A hand-out answers some "Frequently Asked Questions" about HTV. "We're really just doing this to make the eighth graders aware of what we have to offer. Then when some of them become eligible for Broadcast Journalism as sophomores, they will maybe consider getting involved at that time," said Davis. Top|Home

Hillcrest Celebrates Championship
For only the second time in school history, the Hillcrest Hornets have won the state basketball championship. Students and staff have been celebrating the accomplishments of Coach John Schaefer's squad with an assembly, tee-shirts, and plenty of school pride in recent weeks. The team finished 25-7 after defeating the Oakville Tigers 54-49 in a tense battle at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia, MO. Hillcrest fell behind by six points before staging a comeback in the last four minutes,	led by sophomore Dorial Green, who had two key blocks while scoring eight consecutive points. Oakville is a school of over 2,000 students, while Hillcrest's enrollment is at 1,200. The Hornets finished the season on a 13-game winning streak, while the championship loss snapped an 18-game winning streak for the Tigers. Hillcrest's only other state championship in basketball came in 1984. Ironically, that team also finished 25-7 for the season.	The Hornets will say goodbye to senior starters Trey Starks and Mitch Jenkins. Starks' memorable dunk at the beginning of the second half was featured as ESPN's #1 "Play of the Day" on Monday, March 15. The clip can be found on Youtube, where it was approaching 200,000 views just two days after being posted there. Top|Home

Just His Opinion...Radio
Keith Reynolds uses the medium of television to "go off" on radio in the latest HTV commentary. "The once-useful radio has become a haven for terrible disc jockeys, horrible advertisements, at at the heart of its problem, it's 'gawd-awful music.'" Reynolds says the local radio stations all sound the same. "As far as I'm concerned, there are five different songs on the radio." He then describes those five generic songs and a graphic calls out the stations known for programming them over and over.	HTV Co-News Director Olivia Tinkler said, "It is a great commentary. We all thought it made some really funny, and accurate points." The "Just His Opinion/Just Her Opinion" segment has been a regular part of "HTV Magazine" since the fall of 1992. Since then students have sounded off on so many topics, adviser Dave Davis says it's impossible to even begin to list them. "I never knew this would become one of the things we're known for, but I'm glad it is. There are not many TV shows out there	giving teens a chance to really state, or scream, their opinions," said Davis. The Reynolds commentary was the last segment on HTV #176. It debuted on the Ozarks CW March 6, and will repeat on March 20. The segment includes plenty of talk, plus some animation created by Reynolds to illustrate a few of him main points. Top|Home

A Tradition in Jeopardy?
The cancellation of the annual winter formal at Hillcrest, the "Ladies Pay All" (LPA) dance, is the focus of the latest HTV Special Assignment. The story, filed by reporter Kaitlynn Keller and photographer Kelsi Moos, touches on a number of issues, including attempts by the school to curb the problem, and the reaction of teens who opposed those efforts. "Grinding" and other suggestive dance moves observed at the Homecoming dance last October caused concern among administrators. It is an issue nationwide, as principals try to find a way to control the sexually charged atmospheres at school dances. Keller talked to Hillcrest principal Jay Rush, who said he has received complaints from parents and students the last two years after Homecoming and LPA. Rush's question for students is, "If your mom, or your grandmother, or the	newspaper, walked in there (to the dance), would we be proud of what they saw?" The LPA dance was scheduled for February 12. A letter from the PTSA president was placed on the school website the week leading up to LPA, encouraging parents to attend and monitor the dancing and provide feedback. That letter, according to some students, was the "final straw," and a texting campaign began. Messages quickly circulated asking students to boycott the dance. It worked. Only 47 tickets were sold. On February 11, the dance was canceled and refunds were given. "They're clearly showing they don't like what's going on with dances now, and what administration is doing," said Student Council Dance Commissioner Caleb Hames. Some students were disappointed. Junior Jordan Gardner said, "Truthfully, not a	lot of parents would have shown up, because parents know that's just how we dance nowadays." While the LPA was canceled, that did not mean there would be no dance. A group of HHS students arranged for a private dance February 26 in downtown Springfield, where only the club security guards were on duty. Dubbed "LPA 2" by organizers, Keller and Moos talked to students at the off-site dance like junior Shawn Underwood, who said, "It's a lot more free-lance. A lot more fun." The story is part of HTV Magazine #176, which debuts March 6 on the Ozarks CW. Top|Home