Dos Pueblos High School’s TV/Video Production class combined with Acting for TV/Film on Oct. 14 for their first video conference in the school’s new Media Studio.

The students met Steve Hersh, an advertising executive from Young & Rubicam, one of New York’s largest advertising companies. Students asked questions about the process of making commercials as well as how to get involved in the industry.

The conference was about an hour long, and because of the new studio, it made the students feel as if Hersh was in the room. The video conference was held using Skype, video chat software, in the new Media Studio that was opened this year.

The studio was built using a video grant and yearbook funds, and houses the DP News and yearbook programs with plans to add journalism in the future. The grant was acquired thanks to Dr. Cynthia White, the Santa Barbara School District’s director of curriculum, in collaboration with former Santa Barbara High School teacher Michelle Humboldt.

Hersh, a friend of teacher Clark Sayre, provided Dos Pueblos students a unique opportunity to learn about his industry. His job is to come up with a campaign for a product then make it into a reality.

He is responsible for the humorous Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup ad that featured NFL football players and their mothers. He also created the current Goldfish campaign and Prego commercials.

This opportunity was the first of many video conferences that will be held in the Media Studio at Dos Pueblos High.

— Micaela Cotter is the public relations director for Dos Pueblos News.