Holden Henry
ITHSA Communications Academy Graduate 2016
Occupation- Creative Director for Platinum Systems Cyber Security Company, Kenosha, WI
This September 2018, Holden was kind enough to come back to our school and do a presentation for our current Communications student body. He came with a beautifully prepared digital representation of the work he does for Platinum Systems. He was so encouraging and open with our students and was an inspiration for all. He gave a heart felt thank you to the Communications
Academy staff and the program as a whole.
We are very proud of him and wish him all the best.
Photo is linked above with a short video of Holden's visit, produced by Jeremiah Lunde, a Communications freshman.
Sam Jacquest
ITA 2010 Communications graduate
UW-Whitewater 2014 graduate
Career: Page designer at Lee Enterprise’s Chicago and Madison’s Regional Design Centers
Scheduled to pursue Master of Arts degree in Publishing at Oxford, England in fall 2015
My time as a student at Indian Trail Academy had a great impact on the decisions I made over the next few years. I graduated from the Communications Academy in 2010, and I still greatly appreciate the skills I was taught and the teaching staff that supported me for four years. I graduated as the News Editor of “The Pulse” student newspaper with high grades, all thanks to the personalized treatment I received. I was not just another student that teachers were trying to push out the door; because of the close community of Indian Trail Academy, I had a personalized experience during my four years, and I always felt that the teaching staff genuinely cared for its students.
I went on to UW-Whitewater and joined the “Royal Purple” student newspaper, where I was quickly promoted to an editor and eventually became Editor-in-Chief. The skills I learned at ITA gave me a competitive edge during college: graphic arts and newspaper design which I used during my time as an editor; research techniques which were needed in almost every upper-level course; and writing skills, both for newspapers and other projects, which seems like a basic necessity, but can be very harmful to a person if not taught properly. These skills helped me through college and lead to a job offer as a newspaper designer before I graduated from UW-Whitewater, a position I still hold over a year after I was hired.
Because of the wonderful teaching staff at Indian Trail Academy, I also developed interests in different topics I never would have expected: I was suddenly excited to read my history text book and start my next project in my multimedia class. ITA is also where I developed my love for books and editing, which has led me to attend graduate school in Oxford, England, where I will be getting my Master of Arts degree in Publishing. Had it not been for the special bond between student and teacher that was unique to Indian Trail Academy, I’m not sure I would be as passionate about my education and future career as I am now.
New website design for University of Minnesota's College of Liberal Arts.
Sam Gordon
ITA 2011 Communications graduate
University of Minnesota 2015 graduate
Interactive Designer for Clockwork Active Media
As a student of the Communications Academy at Indian Trail, I enjoyed four years of eye-opening, highly involved learning in the fields of design, journalism, and all types of professional communication. Little did I know that the Communications program would prepare me to be leaps and bounds ahead of my peers in college, and instill in me a confidence in and passion for my work in my career.
After finding my talents for design and multimedia at ITA, I went on to graduate from the Graphic Design program at the University of Minnesota, one of the most highly regarded design schools in the United States. The lessons I took away from my time at ITA gave me both the technical skills and the curiosity to learn at a faster pace than my studio classmates.
I immediately saw the value of a Communications Academy education when I began my career in web and interactive design, working at Clockwork Active Media in Minneapolis, Minnesota. An award-winning national leader in the interactive design space, Clockwork reminds me of the engaging, innovative environment I found at ITA. Needless to say the unique experience I had in high school has given me a distinct advantage in the industry.
Justin Jabs
2010 graduate of Indian Trail Communications Academy
Justin studied journalism, advertising, and public relations at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and business management at Gateway Technical College. He was editor-in-chief of UWM's college newspaper The Post, worked for the Milwaukee Brewers in sales, and now is account executive for California's Oakland Athletics.
ITA 2013 Communications graduate
Junior at Columbia College Chicago
Field of Study: Post-Production Film Editing
I've always been an artistic person. So I knew from the start the Communications House was right for me. There were specific classes that directly lead my education career to where it is today. I'm currently entering my junior year at Columbia College Chicago and have been majoring in Post-Production Film Editing.
For starters, the Graphic Design classes really took my art to a modern and digital place. I was always into drawing, but learning Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign, it opened a whole other art medium. Having learned these programs in high school really put me ahead of the game when entering college. Since my skills were already developed in this area, I have been able to utilize them in more advanced ways. Not to mention, I didn't have to learn them during my college career and have been able to use my credits elsewhere.
Video Announcements and the Media Production classes were the main reasons I chose my major. I enjoyed creating video segments so much that that's what I looked for to continue my education. The teachers behind these classes set a really good foundation for the film process and created a great environment for collaboration.
As I continue to grow my skills, I've learned how to use them together. I picked up a minor in Motion Graphics which uses a combination of the skills I learned at ITA (Photoshop and Illustrator) and at Columbia (After Effects, etc.).
Not only are the classes more advanced than other high school courses but they also prepare students for the real world. Without these first steps, I'm not sure what direction I would have gone. Focusing courses towards a common interest with likeminded individuals is one of the greatest ideas in education. It's never to early to work towards your career. I've been so appreciative of the curriculum and teachers at ITA for guiding my art and education. They really built a strong foundation to grow off of. The Academy classes are truly an innovative idea that brings modern knowledge and collaboration together. I think more high schools should pick up this approach towards education.
Myra Rivera
Josh Grube
ITA Communications graduate
Graduate of Eastern Illinois University
Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications: Electronic Media Production
Occupation: Director at WCIA 3, a CBS affiliate in Champaign, Illinois.
My education in the Communications Academy at ITA was an excellent beginning to my career in the communication field. I am now a college graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication: Electronic Media Production and a director at WCIA 3, a CBS-affiliate in Champaign, Illinois. The knowledge from the academy gave me a smooth transition into the top of my class in college, and ultimately assisted me in my career. The hands-on experience in video production was an invaluable introduction into the world of broadcast television. I found my true passion working on the Morning Announcements at ITA and dreamed of having a similar job in the real world. I now live that dream five days a week.