Elon University Student Wins ACC Women's Basketball Contest
League offers educational hands-on experience to local college students.



Jan. 29, 2008

GREENSBORO, N.C. - In addition to the Atlantic Coast Conference's fifth-year partnership with Guilford County schools and nine surrounding counties to enhance the curriculum of elementary and middle school students, the league extended another arm in the educational realm by offering true hands-on sports media experience to a local college class.

In October, the ACC invited Fox 8 sports anchor Rich Brenner and his Elon University sports broadcasting class to attend the 2007-08 ACC Women's Basketball Media Days, held at the Grandover Resort and Conference Center. The students had the opportunity to participate in print and electronic interview sessions and were challenged to create a newspaper or television piece following the event.

 
Mitch Pittman, who has wanted to be in sports media since he was young, went well beyond the students' call of duty, by gathering further video footage at an NC State women's basketball team practice in Raleigh. His feature, which focused on the Wolfpack head coach and inspiring leader Kay Yow, was run on an Elon student news program, and then run on a WGHP Fox 8 broadcast on Dec. 23, 2007.

"My dreams to cover the ACC began by watching it (ACC basketball) on WRAL," Pittman, the junior broadcast communications major, stated. "Being able to attend the media days and learn how the media interact with players and coaches on a daily basis was something that many of us would have never had the opportunity to experience. This gave me a true taste of my own dream and confirmed that media is the thing for me."

For their participation, Pittman and his classmates will be recognized at the 3 o'clock game of Thursday's (March 6) first-round ACC Tournament action.

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL PROGRAM: The ACC enters the fifth year of the "ACC Community School Program", which will culminate by allowing more than 13,000 enthusiastic students--representing over 40 Guilford County schools and nine surrounding counties--to attend the 2008 ACC Women's Basketball Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum. This educational partnership was created and developed in 2004 and now includes a broad based elementary curriculum. The curriculum and lesson plans relate to ACC women's basketball and are available to teachers in physical education, science, social studies, math, language arts, and character development. Approved lesson plans are posted on www.learnnc.org. For more information on purchasing tickets for your students and participating in this exciting educational event, contact Elizabeth Colamarino at 336-433-7261 or elizabeth.colamarino@greensboro-nc.gov.