C-SPAN Bus Makes Stop at Seminole High School

SEMINOLE – The C-SPAN Bus visited Seminole High School as part of its Top Teachers Tour Nov. 30.

The bus, which has traveled the country since 1993, visiting schools, political events, book festivals and state capitals, included Seminole as a stop on its current tour because of its relationship with SHS social studies teacher Arren Swift. Swift was a C-SPAN Teacher Fellow and spent this past summer in Washington, D.C. helping the news network develop educational materials to be used in schools across the country.

“It was a really great experience,” he said. “I really loved the work I was able to do based on C-SPAN’s coverage of our government, which is non-partisan, unbiased news.”

Swift, who is working towards a PhD in curriculum and instruction at the University of South Florida, has continued working with the news network since returning from Washington, D.C.

This work is what qualified him as a C-SPAN Top Teacher, said Jenae Green, a C-SPAN marketing representative.

“So, this stop was also a way to celebrate him, as well, in his community,” she said.

C-SPAN uses the bus to engage students around the country about American politics and policies. The bus includes a selfie-station, a mobile studio, information about the C-SPAN StudentCam documentary competition, a 360-camera set at several locations throughout the country, and mobile tables with videos and quizzes.

“We want them to know that we offer an unbiased, unfiltered source that shows you what is happening through unfiltered programming, which is so important,” she said.

The network’s long-form programming provides live coverage of U.S. House and Senate proceedings and other political events.

“We show you when they walk in the door, the handshakes that happen before they get started, the actual event and the handshakes that happen after, so you get the whole viewpoint,” Green said.

Swift brought students from several of his classes to tour the bus, which parked outside the school.

“They learned about the inner workings of (C-SPAN) and how it operates as a truly unbiased and non-partisan contributor,” he said.

SOURCE: tbnweekly.com