WPSU
Since 2022, I have worked at WPSU Penn State Public Broadcasting as a producer, videographer, and editor. Below are links to short films and television episodes I have helped create.
Winning the Match: The Fight to Sanction Girls Wrestling in PA
Producer, Editor
Girls wrestling is the fastest growing high school sport in the United States. In Pennsylvania, a notable wrestling “hot spot,” girls’ participation numbers have skyrocketed 200% over the past few years. However, girls haven’t had the same opportunities to wrestle as their male counterparts; girls wrestling hasn’t been recognized as an official sport by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA). However, thanks to the dedication and hard work of athletes, parents, coaches, and organizers across the state, that changed on May 17th. Learn more about the historic vote!
Stories From St. Metz
Producer, Videographer, Editor
Growing up, Fred and Lee Metzger didn’t realize just how unconventional their childhood was. They figured other kids fished for trout in their pools, drove motorcycles around their living rooms, and kept wild animals as pets, too. That was life as they knew it growing up in a Presbyterian church-turned party house with their eccentric father, Fred Sr. Decades later, the brothers reflect on an upbringing that, while wildly unorthodox, taught them life lessons on hard work, having a sense of humor, and the importance of family.
Aquila Kikora Franklin: Connecting Through Dance
Editor
Aquila Kikora Franklin grew up dancing at her mother’s studio in Atlanta. As a sensitive and emotional child, it was there that she found dance to be a safe outlet to channel her emotions. Her love of creative movement has taken her around the world as a performer and choreographer and ultimately led to her becoming a professor of theater/dance at the Penn State School of Theatre. It also inspired her to co-found and direct Roots of Life Performing Arts Ensemble, an art education program housed in the State College Area School District. In this episode of I’m Your Neighbor, Kikora reflects on the role dance has played in her life and shares how she uses it to build community among diverse groups of students.
Keystone Stories: Old Spaces, New Places
Producer, Videographer, Editor
Adaptive reuse is the term given to the repurposing of old buildings, and many of the buildings we use today are serving a very different purpose than originally intended. But repurposing a structure is not always easy.
Jim Bowers: Still Climbing
Videographer, Editor
Jim Bowers loves rocks. He loves climbing up them, he loves traversing them, he even loves making them. Jim’s become something of a local legend when it comes to climbing, having established hundreds of bouldering and sport routes throughout Pennsylvania. He’s earned a reputation for fearlessness because of his willingness to scale “high ball” routes without a rope. In this episode of I’m Your Neighbor, Jim shares reflects on his 50+ years of climbing and explains how that passion led him to launch two successful businesses: Petrogrips and Synrocks.
Christmas On Display
Producer, Videographer, Editor
Jim and Sheri Vuccolo don’t do anything on a small scale. So when they started collecting Christmas decorations for their front yard, they quickly amassed more than they knew what to do with. Now, the Vuccolos are locally famous for their award-winning, self-proclaimed “outrageous” Christmas display. In this Digital Initiative piece, they break down what it takes to be an expert Christmas decorator – from adding an addition to their house in order to expand their storage space, to carefully calculating wattage for the 14 different electrical zones in takes to power their masterpiece.
Claire Lorts: From Biology to Artisan Jewelry
Videographer, Editor
Claire Lorts is living her dream — literally. In 2019, Claire Lorts decided to leave her job managing a plant biology lab at Penn State — a job she loved — to pursue her other passion: art. She now works from her studio in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania creating wooden earrings and is beginning to experiment with metalsmithing. In this episode of I’m Your Neighbor, Claire shares the story of how she made this transition and opens up about the challenges and rewards of being a full-time artist.
Lynn Anne Verbeck: Shaping Clay and Community
Editor
Lynn Anne Verbeck, a ceramic artist based in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, opens up about her passion for teaching art and her belief that we are all creative beings. After studying film at Penn State, Verbeck turned to sculpture as a way to express her feelings and make art for people to use. She is one of the founders of ARTery, an upcoming community art makerspace in Philipsburg.
Bottleworks Ethnic Arts Center
Editor
Founded in 1993, the Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center provides a creative and cultural exploration hub. “We try to make art accessible to everybody” – that’s how Melody Tisinger, director of advancement and operations, describes the mission of the community-focused arts organization, which features exhibits, hands-on artist training, and more to celebrate the cultural tapestry of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The organization merged with the neighboring Art Works in Johnstown in 2014 to create the current Bottle Works campus. Learn more about the history and offerings of this Johnstown gem in this installment of Pennsylvania Places.