Jumbotron debuts at Scott High
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Jumbotron debuts at Scott High
By Shane Gilreath
Crowds were on their feet. The anticipation could be felt in the air. “When the hype video played before the run out, I had literal chills,” said Morgan Boyatt, Scott High’s new Athletic Director. Earlier in the year, SCN reported that Scott County Board of Education were moving forward with plans to construct a digital scoreboard – a Jumbotron, at Highlander Stadium. While the Jumbotron made its much-anticipated debut during the UCB Border Bowl – an exiting win for the Highlanders – the school follows many from across the nation in investing in high-grade screens for student athletes, bringing professional-level technology to Friday night lights and beyond.
The idea, according to Boyatt, came from wanting to do more for all students and not just athletics, though the latter programs are typically how the screens are used. “Scott County School Board Member Chris Shelton took the idea and presented it and from there it just went,” Boyatt told SCN. “Our athletic programs will obviously benefit from this; however, we plan to use this as a way to promote our school and its programs.”
The massive digital scoreboards, as proudly displayed on campuses across the state, have the capacity to show game footage, advertisements, and student-produced content. While Jumbotrons symbolize modernization and community pride, they also highlight the ongoing debate over funding priorities in public education and athletics. While the $200,000 project found some local critics, who questioned the high cost for the district, supporters, like Boyatt, countered that it would enhance school spirit, provide real-world media experience for students, and generate revenue through sponsorships, which are available to local businesses and organizations.
“The biggest contribution is really two-fold,” the Athletic Director said. “For our fans and student athletes, it really elevates the game-day environment, making whatever night Scott High is playing on feel much bigger and exciting. But for our students, it opens the door for them to be hands-on in learning in areas of digital media, production, and communications. It’s rare to have technology like this in a high school setting, especially in a place like Scott County. So, this really sets our students apart from the rest.”
And for those who question the project’s cost, aside from the contribution set aside by the Scott County Board of Education, the Hailey family – proprietors of the Oneida McDonald’s – generously committed to a five-year deal for $40,000, but according to Boyatt, the project has real potential to impact students in positive ways well beyond the gridiron, showing the Haileys’ on-going support of Scott County students.
“We are only starting to scratch the surface of what that can be,” Boyatt said, demonstrating her Highlander pride and obvious belief in Scott County students and the potential allotted through education. In fact, that belief – and an ambition to involve all the school in the new screen – has taken a unique turn on campus. Making the project a learning experience, Scott High has challenged the school’s students and staff to create commercials, highlight reels, announcements, and event content for campus clubs and events that occur around the school. “It can be a platform for creativity across the board,” Boyatt contends, “and one that allows our students to display their work in a whole new way. The more we allow our students to take ownership of the content, the more valuable it becomes.”
Despite the local criticisms, the project met the approval of the Highlander faithful during its debut, especially as a video produced by Owlbear Media’s Sam Cross, a Scott High Alumni, played before the packed house. “The crowd’s excitement was electric,” Boyatt told SCN. “You could truly feel the energy throughout the stadium. People were amazed by the size and quality of the Jumbotron, and I think it really put into perspective what we are trying to accomplish for our student-athletes.” That excitement was not just over football, however. “Seeing the reaction of the band when their hype video started – which was a full-on surprise to them – was the best,” Boyatt added. “Seeing them excited and us being able to showcase them, as well, really made us all excited.”
At the end of the day, the experience largely spoke for itself, evidence of a wise investment for the school. “It is more than just a Jumbotron,” Boyatt told SCN. “It is a symbol of the growth we are experiencing here at Scott High, the pride we take in making our school the best around, and the bright future we have in store. This isn’t just about football getting something. We will be able to use this in many ways, and having students use their creativity with media and broadcasting is just the start.”
