
On Saturday, February 3, 2024, WRAL-TV had a very special crew covering a big event in Raleigh, the Occoneechee Boy Scout Council's Eagle Banquet. Members of WRAL's Explorer Post 5 conducted interviews, shot, edited on-site and created two short 40-second packages which aired on WRAL's Sunday morning news. The event took place at the McKimmon Center.
It was exciting to witness members of Explorer Post 5 put the knowledge that they learned into real-world action. The icing on the cake was to have their work broadcast on TV, said long-time Post 5 Advisor Ken Bland.
WRAL Explorer Post 5 member Morgan Warren did standups for the news package Post 5 put together for WRAL-TV news from the Occoneechee Council's Eagle Banquet at the McKimmon Center on Saturday, February 3, 2024.
The 2023-24 Explorer Post 5 class is the first back in the actual WRAL studio since before the pandemic.
The 6- to 8-month program meets weekly, giving students an opportunity for hands-on learning experiences in the newsroom, editing bays, in the field and more.
It never ceases to amaze me how adaptive and creative young people are with new technology - and this is especially true of our Explorer Post 5 members, said WRAL-TV Local Production Producer Steve Elizondo, also a long-time Advisor for the group.
Five students participated in the volunteer learning opportunity at the Eagle Scout banquet.
It was amazing to get a hands-on experience and doing the job instead of just learning about it through a conversation with another person, said Post 5 Member Daniel Towery, a senior at Apex High School.
He appreciates having advisors there to help him to learn.
If you don't know how to do something, it's simple! he said. Just ask and they will teach you how to some of the camera work, audio, or wording of the interview questions for example.
Members of WRAL's Explorer Post 5 covered the Boy Scouts Occoneechee Council's Eagle Banquet at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh on Saturday, February 3, 2024, for WRAL-TV news. Post 5 members Morgan Warren, Daniel George & George Poliachik work together to shoot an interview with an Eagle Scout.
Bland, Elizondo, WRAL-TV Maintenance Engineer II Chris Cormier and WRAL-TV Programming Coordinator Melissa Heilicser are key program advisors, with additional CBC staffers helping teach specific skills.
coming up with good questions was a little challenging, said Post 5 Member Morgan Warren, a senior at Rolesville High School. But it became easier because the interviews flowed more like a conversation than an interrogation. I feel like being involved in this event helps supply a lot of skills needed for the real world.
Elizondo loved the students' flexibility and willingness to learn.
I worked closely with Azure Noel, who shot and edited a lot of the footage we used, said Elizondo. He and Danny George (who shot footage of the Eagle Scouts using a GoPro camera), impressed me with their ability to grab a camera and go'.
Post 5 members not only enjoyed the technical skills they were learning, but liked learning about the Eagle Scouts at the banquet.
It was also cool to hear all of the scouts' projects and to see all of the amazing work they did, said George, a senior at Apex Friendship High School.
Because I'm a first-timer, going in was a little nerve wracking, but I feel like we all worked together well and ended up making something we can be proud of.
George Poliachik, Post 5 member & Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy sophomore This was my first time working with an experienced team with professional equipment, and definitely taught me a few things about the process of making a news package, said Post 5 member George Poliachik, a sophomore at Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy. Before this I had only done small videos for myself or for my school, so it was kinda surreal seeing something I filmed on the WRAL website.
The Candlelight Benediction: Members of WRAL's Explorer Post 5 covered the Boy Scouts Occoneechee Council's Eagle Banquet at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh on Saturday, February 3, 2024, for WRAL-TV news. Post 5 member Azure Noel shot footage of the Candlelight ceremony.
Post 5 team members used the video gear package recently purchased for Post 5 by the station. They put the new equipment to great use.
Chris Cormier, Ken Bland and I are all very proud of what the Post 5 team accomplished, especially in a tight shooting / producing / editing delivery window, said Elizondo.
Explorer Post 5 is the oldest communications post in the United States, chartered in 1969 by Corp CEO & Board Chairman Jim Goodmon and engineer Powell Kidd. The program is part of the Occoneechee Council Boy Scouts of America.
See out the great work of Post 5 on WRAL.com:
NC council honors new Eagle Scouts at annual banquet, touts increased number of girl Eagle Scouts
Thanks to WRAL-TV's Steve Elizondo for these CapCom photos.
Eagle Scout Abbie Reid speaks to WRAL's Explorer Post 5 members for an interview during the Boy Scouts Occoneechee Council's Eagle Banquet at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh on Saturday, February 3, 2024. The Candlelight Benediction: Members of WRAL's Explorer Post 5 covered the Boy Scouts Occoneechee Council's Eagle Banquet at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh on Saturday, February 3, 2024, for WRAL-TV news.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
04/06/2026
Sony Electronics is introducing the SRG-AS10, a 4K 60p-compatible PTZ auto-frami...
04/06/2026
This recent grad from Spring, TX, led creative-video output for the Aggies' men's basketball team last season and has been producing video and creating ...
04/06/2026
For the first time at a women's golf major, every player in the field will r...
04/06/2026
Three Panasonic PT-RQ45 40,000-lumen 3-Chip DLP projectors made their first live...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin and Akamai have announced a collaboration with NRJ Group, a French mult...
04/06/2026
Telestream will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N7952), demonstrating media work...
04/06/2026
Sony has announced the development of RIALTO 65, a 65mm format image sensor block for the VENICE 2 digital cinema camera, targeting release in the first half of...
04/06/2026
KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N8025, June ...
04/06/2026
Bell Media's TSN and RDS are the exclusive Canadian broadcasters of FIFA Wor...
04/06/2026
The Challenge: Receiving Heavy Media Files From Road Games Quickly and ReliablyT...
04/06/2026
MASV, a managed file transfer platform used in broadcast and live sports product...
04/06/2026
NESN has announced the appointment of Fahad Haider as Vice President of Operations and Engineering. Haider returns to NESN, where he previously served as Vice P...
04/06/2026
David J. Halberstam, who spent almost 50 years in sports as a broadcaster and an executive, died June 2 after a years-long battle with brain cancer.
Over his l...
04/06/2026
Although collegiate production programs are tasked with delivering high-quality ...
04/06/2026
California studio, two production trucks, global distribution system are combine...
04/06/2026
New global program empowers and supports storytellers through scriptwriting course and access to industry experts
TikTok and Sundance Institute today announce...
04/06/2026
Steinberg DAWs now boast in-depth Tonalic integration
Celemony's innovative virtual session musician plug-in has just received an update that brings ARA...
04/06/2026
Get Hands-On With Over 20 Mic Brands
GearExpo UK is fast approaching, and if you've been looking for a chance to check out some new mics, then you'r...
04/06/2026
Combos feature new Amplifier Intelligence engine
Positive Grid's latest release sees the company introduce two new combo amplifiers that promise to offe...
04/06/2026
Is Your Job Making You Work this June?
4 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS Launches the World Cup Watchers' Rights Association to Stand Up For Australians&...
04/06/2026
Statement regarding unauthorised use of SBS logos on third party social content
4 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS has become aware of social media posts in c...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin, a leading provider of video streaming infrastructure, and Akamai, the cybersecurity and cloud computing company that powers and protects business onli...
04/06/2026
American Underground (AU), the Startup Hub of the South and a community of mor...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
NVIDIA and Microsoft Reinvent Windows PCs for the Age of Personal AI
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
RTX Spark - a 1-Petaflop Superchip, the Full...
04/06/2026
Inside the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man Grade
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Simone Grattarola discusses shaping the look in DaVinci Resolve...
04/06/2026
Cine Gear Expo Announces 2026 Awards of Excellence Recipients
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Ed Lachman ASC, Caleb Deschanel ASC, and M. David M...
04/06/2026
St. Vincents Live with Orchestra Tour to Feature Berklee Alum Ruby Plume Berklee alumni St. Vincent and Ruby Plume will appear on the same bill across seven d...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
All the Truth in My Lies Coming to Netflix on August 28
Entertainment
04 June 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Download the imag...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
Larry Tanz, VP of Content, EMEA, Delivers a Keynote Speech at ...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
Turn Your Living Room into a Stadium With the New FIFA World ...
04/06/2026
Keeping conversations real on LinkedIn Published on Jun 4, 2026 Categories: Product News
LinkedIn Corporate Communications
Share
LinkedIn
Facebook ...
04/06/2026
BackStory follows four Irish young people as they travel back to their parents' homelands
Modern Irish identity is enriched by cultures and influences from...
04/06/2026
June's forecast with GeForce NOW: 100% chance of gaming.
GeForce NOW is lining up new adventures for the month, from big-name blockbusters to quirky indies...
03/06/2026
SES and Viva, Mexico's ultra low-cost airline, have launched multi-orbit satellite inflight connectivity on Viva's Airbus aircraft. A total of 60 A320s ...
03/06/2026
The College Football Playoff, ESPN, and TNT Sports have announced kick times and...
03/06/2026
RED Digital Cinema will exhibit at Cine Gear Expo 2026 (Booth 33, June 5-6, Universal Studios Lot), hosting three panels and hands-on product demonstrations.
P...
03/06/2026
Roku has announced the Soccer Zone, a dedicated hub for FIFA World Cup 2026 content available across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Argent...