Headaches that make walking impossible, severe heat, vacation, overlapping responsibilities and the stomach flu are all obstacles that once restrained students more than imaginable. It prevented them from partaking in or attending sports activities at Palatine High School. With no way to feel included at home, students once only had one choice: showing up to an event unwell or missing everything entirely. Nowadays, thanks to PTV, that is the farthest from reality.
PTV manages many social aspects of Palatine’s athletic community, from broadcasting sports live and on YouTube, to spending hours preparing announcements for students to be able to stay in the loop of local current events. PTV’s sports broadcasting is entering the second full year of its service, the semi-new feature of live-streamed sports has been a leading factor to why the @PHSPTV YouTube channel has gained 800 subscribers in the last two years.
“It feels good to know that I’ve reached two major accomplishments, I am not only working on my broadcasting skills but also helping the community tune in from wherever they may be,” said Luke Jorden, president of PTV. Prior to Jorden’s extreme commitment to PTV, the channel and announcements weren’t taken as seriously, therefore his name has caused an uproar in the community. Students appreciate and honor the work he has put in for them, for students’ enjoyment.
“I feel really relieved knowing I don’t have the pressure to be at another event when I already have commitments, so Luke’s broadcasting has even kept me up to date socially,” said Matthew Labuz, senior at Palatine High School. Labuz tunes into football games periodically throughout it, in order to be able to enjoy his Friday night with family or spend on other hobbies, while still managing to keep up with the latest news.
“God bless those guys (Luke Jorden, Christian Courtney, PTV members), because it’s a lot of work, and could never be the same without the group now,” said Russell Horvath, Department Art chair at Palatine High School. PTV meets every Wednesday after school in room 253. Horvath praises the work of the current PTV group and highlights how the spread of the word has been due to the club’s members and their deep passion for broadcasting.
PTV has provided the Palatine community the opportunity to connect and enjoy extracurricular activities from the comfort of viewers’ homes, ensuring that students never fear missing out. PTV handles a majority of the media and announcements we see, and without it, Palatine couldn’t be the same, as connected, as much of a true community.
