Student photographers play a crucial role at State High, capturing images of countless school events, from sports games to musicals to holiday celebrations. In recent years, photography has seen exponential growth throughout the school, evidenced by an increased presence on sidelines, in State High Publications, and, most notably, in photography courses.
Photography is offered as an elective and it has seen a substantial uptick in course requests the last few years. There are no prerequisites so students from grades nine through twelve and of all experience levels can request the course. However, because of the limited spots available, a sizeable number of students miss out on the opportunity each year.
Sophomore Ryan Pencek, who is currently enrolled in the photography course, spoke on the unique and enjoyable aspects of the course.
“You get to get up out of your seat and walk around school taking pictures of many different things while collaborating with your classmates and exploring many different topics,” Pencek said.
The school has found a way to highlight some of the extraordinary photos that students have taken, deepening the sense of community and enhancing the culture of State High. The Wall of Fame, the wall located next to the upper main office, is covered with framed, student-taken photos that encompass a variety of clubs, sports, and other events.
When students enter the building through the south entrance, they walk past the Wall of Fame and reflect on the moments that have been captured and displayed. State High Principal Laura Tobias was directly engaged with this project, going so far as to partially fund the creation of the wall with her own money.
Some of the photographers featured on the wall are juniors Ellory Potter and Michael Powell, as well as 2024 State High graduates Jacob Will and Megan Smarkusky.
Will is a perfect example of how a creative passion can quickly turn into career opportunities, as he is now working in creative media for the Penn State Football team. He is also one of many student photographers who have effectively utilized social media to get their pictures seen by a wider audience. Smarkusky has also taken her skills to Penn State and works as an intercollegiate athletics photographer for many sports, including field hockey, volleyball and gymnastics.
Potter, the State High Publications Photo Editor, has found success at State High photographing many different extracurriculars. While he focuses on sports, Potter also dabbles in nature photography and curates posts on his Instagram account, @ellory_potter_photography.
A 24/7 Sports Graphic Designer, Powell has been around sports media for a long time. He has become a seasoned photographer, working with Potter to run the State High Football Instagram account.
Will, Smarkusky, and most recently, Potter and Powell have inspired an influx of student photographers at State High. Davontae Hardison, a sophomore at State High, is commonly seen at school sporting events photographing the action. Hardison uses his Instagram account, @d_2flics27, to showcase his photography skills and create a career opportunity through the sale of his images.
Hardison talked through how he makes his money. “I send out player files and I’ll give my estimated price of what it’s gonna be in the end. It could be anywhere towards $15-$30…for a 200 photo file,” Hardison said.
Hardison is part of the movement, with numerous students in middle and high school having also picked up photography and established a social media presence. Nathan Simpson, Macie Naberenzy, James Crandall and Dennis Thwang join him, and that is just to name a few.
Being both a creative outlet and a money-making opportunity, photography has become the medium of choice for many SCASD students. As this number continues to grow and these individuals continue to hone their craft, the biggest beneficiary is the student body, seeing their community and work captured, shared, and preserved.
