Lights, Camera, Learn

In this episode of Lights, Camera, Learn , host Aaron Heinrich sits down with Ben Aston, founder and CEO of Black & White Zebra, to explore his journey from agency life to building one of the fastest-growing digital media companies in North America. Ben reflects on how his early experiences in digital project management shaped his approach to leadership, content creation, and entrepreneurship....

In this episode, education reporter Savannah Kuchar shares her journey from college newsroom writer to covering schools and communities for Abridged, Sacramento’s new digital news outlet. She discusses what drew her to education reporting, the importance of curiosity, and the value of elevating real stories from parents, students, and teachers. Savannah also explores major issues shaping local sch...

Filmmaker and industry leader Ri-Karlo Handy shares his remarkable journey from making music videos at the age of 14 to becoming a showrunner, network executive, and founder of the Handy Foundation. He reflects on the influence his mother played in starting and encouraging his passion for media, the mentors and peers who guided his growth, and the pivotal moments that shifted his career from music...

Alana Winnick—edtech director for a New York state school district, author of The Generative Age , and founder of Students for Innovation—shares how her unexpected journey from classroom teacher to technology leader shaped her mission to empower students. She explains how student-driven innovation and authentic learning experiences can transform classrooms and reduce barriers for both teachers and...

Apprentice editor Rhian Advincula shares her journey from Elk Grove student to working on the Warner Bros.’ upcoming Green Lantern series. She talks about the power of networking, the mentors and organizations—like the Handy Foundation—that opened doors, and how she discovered her passion for editing. Rhian also explains the creative and technical balance required in post-production and what it ta...

Franklin High School senior and Wildcat TV co-producer, Pia Mañez shares how she juggles journalism, student leadership, sports team managing, and community reporting. Pia talks about her passion for elevating student voices through Sacramento School Beat, covering stories ranging from local animal shelters to girls’ sports. She also reflects on the challenges of producing a daily school newscast...

In this episode of Lights, Camera, Learn! , Trevor Harding, media teacher at Sunrise Elementary in the Elk Grove Unified School District, shares how a small classroom grant sparked his passion for media education and transformed his approach to teaching. He describes how his student-run news program, Spartan TV, engages elementary school learners in every aspect of production—from anchoring to cam...

In this episode of Lights, Camera, Learn! , Molly Dugan, journalism professor at Sacramento State University, shares her journey from the Sacramento Bee newsroom to the college classroom, where she now inspires the next generation of storytellers and journalists. She discusses her signature courses like “War, Peace, and the Media,” exploring how journalists navigate truth, power, and conflict in a...

In this episode of Lights, Camera, Learn! , guest Elyjah Wilbur, Communications Specialist for the San Juan Unified School District, shares his journey from working with digital media giants like Smosh and BuzzFeed to producing impactful storytelling in public education. He discusses how his early experiences taught him the importance of relatability and building connections with storytelling and...

Reporter Denzen Cortez joins host Aaron Heinrich to share how a third-grade newscast, a love of storytelling, and lessons from sports led him to the KCRA newsroom in Sacramento, CA. From interning with David Muir to reporting in his hometown of Sacramento, Denzen talks about curiosity, discipline, and what it really takes to make it in journalism today.

Ever wonder what a communication professional does in a large, metropolitan school district? In episode 5 of Lights, Camera, Learn! we’re talking with Xanthi Soriano, the Executive Director of Communication for the Sacramento County Office of Education, to answer that question. We’ll learn what she does, why this position is necessary, and how an initial career in Corporate America prepared her fo...

Dawn Williams is an experienced media educator with over ten years teaching high school media production skills, while also steadily building up a school newscast that now airs daily. Some of her students have gone on to work as reporters, post-production editors on movies and series, and creatives at professional sports teams. Hear how Dawn made the move from working behind the scenes in local TV...

Melissa May went from media talent to media teacher. Hear how her background as a reporter and on-air talent has helped her students gain a real world look at the way news is produced, the need for collaboration and clear communication, and the many different roles involved in producing a newscast and news story. This is a rare opportunity to hear from someone who brings real world experience to t...

Dr. Carmen Stitt is a media professor at Sacramento State University. She also manages the internship program for communication and media majors. She shares her experience working outside media before becoming a professor, the media courses she teaches today, and the importance of media literacy. We also talk about what students need to be thinking about when they pursue an internship and what emp...

In this episode, we're talking with Charles King, middle school teacher at Heron School in the Natomas School District in Sacramento, California. Charles shares his journey as a media educator who's been teach media production to elementary and middle school students for over 20 years. Hear how he's turned his classes into mini-film schools and what his students and he have learned along the way....