Clearly our most successful fundraiser has been the annual Buzz-A-Thon. It started the first year we had a broadcasting class at Hillcrest as a daily, live audio show on local cable TV. We didn't have enough equipment to do television everyday, so this was more like radio on TV.
As the year went along, we wanted to have a fundraiser so we could buy more equipment, so we came up with a way to use the medium of television. Our students got sponsors for every hour that we were on the air with an event we named the "Buzz-A-Thon." (Our mascot is a Hornet, hence the use of "Buzz")
A take-off on the many Walk-a-thons and Bike-a-thons, we stayed on the air continuously for 24 hours. In the end, we raised over $1,200 and we've continued the Buzz-A-Thon every year.
In 1998, the Buzz-A-Thon went from an audio broadcast to a real TV show. We shortened it to 12 hours instead of 24, and we had live student hosts. We managed to fill 12 hours with all sorts of old features from our video news and announcements which we've done since getting Channel One in the fall of 1992. We did a simple two-camera set-up and used lots of graphics, including a credit roll for all the sponsors who donated to the Buzz-A-Thon. In the end, we raised well over $3,000 and had a great time doing it.
Now, six years later, it's become a huge part of our yearly broadcasting efforts. We ask for $200 for sponsorship of one full hour, or $100 for half an hour. We still accept smaller donations as well, and in 2004 our students raised over $9,500, plus tons of food donations to keep everyone well-fed during the long broadcast.
It's live TV at its best and worst. The bloopers we save for our banquet are worth all the effort, not to mention the money we raise. It's simply a great way to use the medium you are working with everyday to generate financial support from the local community. It's extremely hard work, with demanding tasks for a number of students and volunteers, but the money, and the live TV experience make it all worthwhile.
We added a whole new dimension to the show in 2000 when we streamed the entire Buzz-A-Thon, all 24 hours, live onto the Internet. Thanks to the assistance of Springnet and Database Systems, we had the bandwidth and computers to make it all possible. It added another attraction for potential sponsors. Those who give at the $200 level receive a year-long banner ad on this website, which receives an average of 1,000 hits a day during the school year, but over 2,000 a day in the months of February, March and September.
Why do students work so hard to raise the money? There's great motivation for the HTV staff since they use the money they raise to help fund their HTV trips. For the first-year students, money raised goes toward purchasing (or repairing) equipment. Most contributors look at something like this as a donation more than an advertising opportunity, but it's nice to thank those who made the program possible with graphics (full-screen for those who donate $100 or $200). We scroll the names of everyone who donates at least $25 during the last four minutes of every hour.
