By Kevin Coughlin
Generally, teachers hand out awards to students. But it’s the other way around this weekend at Ithaca College, where a Morristown High School teacher will be honored by former pupils.
Mike Butler, who teaches broadcasting, will receive the S’Park Media Mentor Award on Oct. 11, 2015.
The award recognizes high school teachers and advisers “who are committed to igniting a passion for media in their students,” according to the college in upstate New York.
Butler, a former senior director who orchestrated Court TV’s live coverage of the O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson trials, was nominated by MHS alumni Allie Lott and Jake Goldberg.
The Ithaca sophomores said the teacher changed their lives.
In addition to sharing tips about camera angles, audio recording and digital editing, Butler “also taught me the importance of finishing on time, being up to date and respecting all crew members on a team,” said Lott.
“I nominated him because without him I would not be where I am today in the film world,” she said, via email from the college’s campus in London, where she is interning with Glasshead Productions.
“Who knows, maybe if Mr. Butler never decided to teach, I wouldn’t be at Ithaca College or I might not be majoring in Television and Radio,” said Goldberg, who will be present for the award presentation.
ROOKIE MEMORIES
Goldberg’s freshman year at Morristown High coincided with Butler’s rookie year in the classroom.
“I actually had him on the first day of school and I can remember it as if it was yesterday,” Goldberg said in an email. “He was defiantly nervous because he never taught before. We both saw each other grow as we both crafted what we loved to do.”
At MHS, Goldberg started Colonial Corner Sports program, which Butler oversees along with the Colonial Corner YouTube show, high school radio station WJSV-FM and an annual student film festival, along with a full teaching load.
Butler also manages student video recording of school stage productions. On Oct. 20, his students will shoot Morristown’s first TEDx event.
The teacher has drummed in a faculty band, The Dogs, and hr even acted in a student movie.
Diane Gayeski, dean of the Park School of Strategic Communication at Ithaca, said the selection committee was impressed by MHS Principal Mark Manning’s “glowing report” about Butler’s work with student films.
“We appreciate what it takes to create a top film,” Gayeski told Butler, citing the college’s ranking among the nation’s best 25 film programs by the Hollywood Reporter.
Other honorees this year are Tom Gayda of North Central High School in Indianapolis, IN; Christopher Lord from Pinkerton Academy in Derry, NH; and Brett Myers of Youth Radio in Oakland, CA.
BASKETBALL GAMES, LIFE LESSONS
One of Goldberg’s fondest memories is calling Colonials’ basketball games on the radio with Butler. The teacher always spent extra time helping kids with their projects, even if the work was not from his class, Goldberg added.
“He was also a person in school that I felt comfortable talking about pretty much anything, related to school or not. Also, what made him stand out from other teachers is he told you how to prepare for life after college and the struggles that you may come across,” Goldberg said.
Butler, whose television career spanned three decades, said he was moved by the honor.
“This award means everything to me,” he said. “To be recognized by former students as their mentor is the greatest compliment I could receive.”
His goal is to introduce students to broadcasting, he said.
“If I can motivate them to pursue…a career in the industry, I have done my job,” Butler continued.
“The old adage stating, If you make a difference in one student’s life, you have been successful is not enough for me. I want to make a difference in all of my students’ lives.”
