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Valley Christian Alum Noah Hanson wins NSPA award for top broadcast feature

By Loren Kopff

In a follow-up to a story that ran in the Nov. 13, 2015 issue of the HMG-Community News, former Valley Christian High student Noah Hanson took home the top prize as he won the best broadcast feature by the National Scholastic Press Association. Hanson, who graduated this past June and was part of the VCTV staff, did a video piece titled ‘Three Things From Africa’.

“It’s an honor to win, and I was truly stunned, but mostly so proud of Noah and our journalism program,” said V.C. journalism faculty advisor Sharon Zoetewey. “He’s a gifted cinematographer and has an innate talent for editing, plus he’s always working to improve. We knew Noah’s entry was impressive in quality, but it’s nice to see the judges award his style of storytelling. It’s encouraging to know there is a need for Noah’s voice in the world, and it reaffirms that he’s chosen the right career path.”

According to some of the comments from the judges that were explained on the NSPA website, the pieces that won in the broadcast feature category showed maturity beyond high school and college age. It went on to say that Hanson won because of his use to use ‘a selfie stick to shoot the video and the placement of the natural sound was beautifully done, letting the pictures tell the story’.

“I thought it was crazy that someone I personally knew won something that thousands of people wanted to win,” said Alex Hille, a junior who is in his first year on the V.C. journalism staff. “His victory only continued to prove how talented Noah is in film.  He has made and contributed in various award winning short films.  Noah’s success is something that we can build on and model after for future success.”

Hille was an actor in a short film that Hanson was part of the team that won the school’s inaugural film festival when Hanson was a junior. Hanson also won the Orange Lutheran Teen Faith Film Festival last year with a film titled, “Light”.

“It’s pretty amazing to see the lessons Noah learned and the beautiful people of Africa in the story get broadcast to a larger audience,” Zoetewey said. “God’s message is being spread through the piece and because of this competition, which is pretty cool. It’s a good reminder that the little things you do every day make a difference.”