Neuqua Valley’s news broadcast “Wildcat Weekly” has been a staple in the Fridays of students. Since its premiere in 2001, “Wildcat Weekly” has produced 599 episodes, and its 600th episode comes out on December 15th. This milestone is a huge achievement for the current members and its over 500 alumni.
“Wildcat Weekly” is a student-run and led broadcast focusing on telling the stories of Neuqua Valley and the Naperville community. Highly recognized and honored, “Wildcat Weekly” has received many high accolades, including the Student Production Award of Excellence for the Magazine Category in the spring of 2023 from the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Students are in charge of coming up with story ideas, shooting footage, conducting interviews, and editing their episodes. Coordinating Producers (CPs) are student leaders who are responsible for keeping track of story progression and making sure the episodes are completed and ready for air every week. The students have an important responsibility to deliver interesting stories that catch the attention of its audience.
Wildcat Weekly has been a beloved and special part of Neuqua that allows students interested media communication and journalism to explore their options for college or future plans. They learn about video editing and interview skills, as well as working as a team to get a story through.
In the past, this class has offered many unique opportunities such as the chance to interview Jenna Bush, the daughter of former president George Bush, and Evan Lysacek, an Olympic figure skater who won gold in 2010.
In the 23 years it has been around, Wildcat Weekly’s dedication to telling the authentic stories of Neuqua Valley’s staff and students has never wavered. When you go back to look at previous episodes, you see the history of the school. Old episodes are an archive of Neuqua and each one preserves its memory and experiences.
“Wildcat Weekly is apart of the culture of the school,” says Ms. Lisa Traut, the department chair of media and teacher for Wildcat Weekly, “It’s definitely not going away.”
