Manassas students learn PR skills, form team

Manassas City Public School (MCPS) Osbourn students are teaming up with education and business leaders to integrate creative tools, technical equipment and marketing skills to form a Public Relations (PR) network. Talented photographers, videographers, artists, writers, designers and speakers are excited to be the faces and voices of the community.

Theresa Coates Ellis, of Tackle Managemen is developing the PR network program and recruiting additional students and leaders for the fall term. Mike Emanuel, MCPS Graphics instructor, will be volunteering his time and classroom to the network. Additional staff and instructors are jumping in to the project as the school year winds down.

CCN Manassas’s first assignment was Osbourn High School graduation ceremony at Jiffy Lube Live on Monday, June 8 at 7:30 p.m. The CCN Media Teams filmed and wrote about the event, plus captured the highlights with photography. Technical students are planning and designing an in-school studio for broadcasting interviews.

Future projects will include podcasts and multimedia to promote positive messages and images for the community. Ellis and Emanuel also hope the program will later create internships for students in the community

CCN Manassas — Community Connection Network emerged as a PR project proposal presented in April to a solid, executed plan this week. Students are owning the network. They have been busy branding their image, designing a logo, writing slogans and planning an editorial calendar for future events and publishing.

CCN Manassas pressed and wore their bright orange media team shirts to graduation — allowing them to be on the move to curate content and network with the community on the big night.