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Students, alumni urge board to reverse decision to cut Highland High broadcasting program
Summary
Multiple Highland High students told the Gilbert Unified District board that the school's broadcasting and film-production classes provide career pathways, awards and mental-health supports and urged reconsideration of a reported decision to cut the program next year.
Multiple Highland High students and recent program participants told the Gilbert Unified District governing board on May 20 that the districtplans to cut the Highland broadcasting and film-production program next school year and urged the board to reverse that decision.
During the public-comment period, Jacob Fredericks, a Highland senior and longtime student in the broadcasting program, said the class "helped me find my passion" and that he had performed play-by-play on the NFHS network. "I urge you to think about the message you're sending by cutting 1 of, to me, Highland's most important programs," Fredericks said. Several other students, including Caden Covert, Samuel Stewart and Nathan Zimmerman, described the program as a career pipeline and a unique student community.
The students said the program offers career-focused experience (broadcasting, camera work, short films and live sports production), has earned awards at local festivals and helped place alumni in college media programs. Samuel Stewart said the class "saves students' lives," telling the board he had heard multiple classmates describe how the program gave them social support during crises.
Speakers also tied the program to the districtCTE (career and technical education) objectives, noting that student projects promoted other campus programs and that two former students attend Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School and another recently was hired by ESPN. Students asked the board to reconsider the cut, stressing impacts on seniors who planned to TA or take follow-up courses next year.
Superintendent Dr. McCord and Board President Chad Thompson thanked the speakers. McCord later acknowledged the students' comments and the board moved on to other agenda items; the transcript does not record a board decision or vote to change the staffing or course-offering decision at this meeting.
What the record shows
- Several students said the Highland broadcasting program "is gonna be cut next year"; that claim came from students during public comment and was not introduced as a board motion or policy at the meeting. - Students described concrete outcomes: play-by-play work on the NFHS network, festival awards, alumni enrollment in media programs and direct student supports. - Board and superintendent did not take a formal vote on the program during the meeting; no timeline or budget detail was presented to the board in public comment about how the cut would be implemented.
Looking ahead
Board members thanked the students for speaking. The transcript records no board directive, motion or formal action to reinstate or reconsider the program; any change would require future board or administrative action.
