Thursday's Internet Edition, August 28, 2008.

Daniel Matics, 16, reports the news during a Raider Television broadcast at RCHS. Matics won a recent student news anchor competition in Anaheim, Calif. DREW HARDMAN/SPENCER NEWSPAPERS

Matics, 16, earned top honors at a recent news anchor competition at the Student Television Network National Convention in Anaheim Calif., becoming the third consecutive RCHS representative to win a first place award at the event.

The convention, which took place Jan. 17-20, drew upwards of 1,500 students from across the nation. Matics was one of 50 competitors in the anchor competition, where students were asked to prepare and deliver a 50-second newscast with a preparation time of just 45 minutes.

“I picked up the copy sheets at 11:30 and taped my newscast at 12:15 without a teleprompter,” Matics said. “I really felt like I nailed it the first time.”

Matics was presented with first place at the convention awards ceremony, to the delight of RCHS broadcasting teacher Janet Kerby.

“I keep thinking each year we can’t continue winning an event,” Kerby said. “But we keep getting these great kids, and here we go again.”

Kerby’s broadcasting students have earned top honors at the convention for three years in a row, since they first began attending the event in 2006.

“Our broadcasting class is not about the competition; it’s about producing work and getting it out to the community,” Kerby said. “Though, it’s nice to get some confirmation that we’re on the right track.”

Kerby traveled to the convention with Matics and two other RCHS juniors, Cheyenne Hall and Ashli Knotts, who participated in the spot feature and collaborative commercial competitions, respectively. The students raised money for the trip through sponsors and various fundraisers involving video production work around the city of Spencer.

In between convention activities, the students found time to tour downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, Rodeo Drive and Santa Monica, all in the comfort of a limousine.

“It was actually cheaper to rent a limo than a big van,” Matics said. “It was a beautiful place – a nice change of scenery.”

Matics said students had to show a strong interest in the field of broadcast journalism to attend the convention, which was no problem for him.

“I’ve wanted to get into broadcasting since the third grade,” Matics said. “I knew I wanted to go.”

He hopes to pursue a career as a television news anchor, and is already well on his way. Matics and other RCHS broadcasting students are earning valuable experience with WSAZ-TV by helping to supply content for a new high school section on the station’s Web site.

Members of the community can also see Matics and his classmates in action during their live school and community newscasts, airing every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:35 a.m. on Raider Television, Channel 22, on the Suddenlink cable system in Spencer.