Grace Ferguson

Highland students wait as the clock ticks…

Five more minutes…

Four more…

Three…

Two…

One…

HTVS live at 10:45!

While the students watch, Grace Ferguson is on the other side of the screen, smiling at the camera. She knows the ins and outs of the HTVS room, each switch and button. Each piece of technology both in front and behind the camera are familiar to her. She’s worked through laughter and mishaps while on live, as well as all the things behind the scenes. Ferguson is a senior, graduating with the great honor of being the Student Scholar for skilled and technical sciences, which revolves around her participation in Highlands HTVS, which is part of the CTE program (auto, welding, woodwork, etc.).

An average day in D217 can be hectic and exciting all at the same time. The HTVS crew spends the first hour writing the days script and planning its broadcast. If lucky, the crew gets 15 minutes to rehearse before going on live.The path to Ferguson’s unknown future all started in a freshman video production class taken on a whim.

“I liked working with cameras and telling stories,” Ferguson said.

Fergusons friendship with the cameras only grew from there, and she started HTVS the next year as a sophomore. It wasn’t easy starting out. Most kids who join the crew take TV1 and video 1, and Ferguson had only taken one of these, making it significantly more difficult for Ferguson to fit in. Ferguson was given one day and one day only to have a senior teach her the skills she missed.

“She took it upon herself to shadow the seniors in the class and learn,” Jenny Hardy, the teacher and director of all video production classes, said.

Despite the rough start, Ferguson grew to love the production and put her heart into its creation. Now, as a senior, Ferguson is the lead producer of HTVS.

“We call it her Grace thing,” said Kerry, Fergusons mother, thinking of Ferfusons drive and passion.

“She helps coordinate the whole broadcast,” Hardy said. “She’s talented in many ways but especially in being an anchor and writing the script.”

Ferguson performs with the University of Utah Youth Theatre Conservatory. Kerry has loved seeing her daughter in each production of HTVS as well as each and every play she’s performed. Fergusons love of telling stories comes from a practice in theatre since sixth grade.

“She has done roles that are relevant to today as well as famous shakespeare ones,” Kerry said.

Whether because of her passion for theatre or her love of cameras, Ferguson will be graduating with the honor of being Sterling Scholar.

“We were so so proud of her,” Kerry said.

Ferguson has worked through forgotten lines and trouble behind the sets, but her passion for HTVS never dwindled, and being acknowledged for that hard work is beyond rewarding.

“To have worked so hard over the past three years and to be acknowledged is really amazing,” Ferguson said.

However, along with the pride of scholar title, comes the bittersweet taste of graduation.

“We don’t think about it,” Kerry said.

Pride and pain come hand in hand along with each diploma and it’s mixed emotions for everybody.

Ferguson will be going to Boston University because of its communications program reputations. According to Kerry, Ferguson researched day in and day out. She called and visited college after college until she found what was best for her. It seems HTVS isn’t the only thing she pours her heart and soul into. Just like her mother said, it really is her “Grace thing”.

Ferguson does her “Grace thing” no matter what she does, working hard to perfect everything, and will continue to do so even after she’s moved on to the next step in her