Through its Kids Newscast, Champions Run is spreading the word about its youth events by putting kids front and center.
Promoting events in a way that catches the attention of members while still being informative and thorough can be a challenge. Through its Kids Newscast, Champions Run in Omaha, Neb., is spreading the word about its youth events by putting kids front and center, all while incorporating video, a medium that has exploded in popularity on social media in the past couple years.
Four times a year, Champions Run’s kids committee gets together to create the newscast. About 12 kids volunteer to participate, writing scripts, shooting footage, acting, and editing eight-minute video segments that are uploaded to Youtube, sent to the membership and promoted on the club’s popular social-media outlets.
“The experience allowed kids to learn the basics of news broadcasting and to be the stars of the show,” says Ben Lorenzen, Director of Aquatics and Fitness. “Kids could either be in front of the camera or participate behind the scenes.”
THE GOAL: Promote youth events at Champions Run in a way that gets kids involved in the process. THE PLAN: Produce the Kids Newscast, in which kids write, shoot, act and edit eight-minute segments on a quarterly basis that is then distributed to the membership. THE PAYOFF: A new way to promote kids events, while sharing footage from events and teaching kids to pursue a unique talent. |
The segments cover the club’s upcoming event calendar, and have included topics such as the pool menu, bubble soccer, 5k runs, and other information that pertains to youth and family activities. Each newscast features kid anchors in front of a green screen, to look like they’re in a news studio, with frequent graphic elements used throughout. There are also cuts to “on-site” reporters who discuss upcoming events, fundraisers, and initiatives. The kids even hold interviews with club staff and promote the club’s social-media outlets.
“They love being on camera and feel like superstars,” Lorenzen says.
Of course, not every broadcast is smooth sailing. “The challenge is working with kids,” Lorenzen says. “We have to do a lot of takes, but it makes for great bloopers.” Blooper footage is included at the end of each newscast as well.
Members have responded positively to the innovative efforts by the club’s youngest members, Lorenzen says.
“The membership loved the visual component of being able to see footage from the events promoted, as well as seeing the kids learn and pursue a unique talent in broadcasting,” says Lorenzen.
Besides, Lorenzen adds, “Video is the future!”
INSTANT IDEAS
To welcome new baby members to the Cherokee Town and Country Club family in Atlanta, the club gives Grant, the Cherokee Bear, as a gift for new additions, along with a gift certificate toward the annual registration fee to the Teepee, the club’s on-site childcare facility…The Junior Activities Director and Dining Room Manager at Rumson (N.J.) Country Club teamed up to present Lunch with Miss Manners, an interactive program that teaches club youth proper manners and dining etiquette, and provides overall pointers on polite protocol…After completing a beach renourishment project at Sailfish Point in Stuart, Fla., the club invited all ages to S’mores on the Shores, to roast s’mores over fire pits, with individual s’more bags prepped ahead of time for convenience and speed, rustic benches for seating, and tiki torches set up for safety and ambiance. |
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