Local Teens Aim For The Spotlight

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cene: A dozen or so local teenagers, ready to brave the glare of the camera, practice their lines and prepare for their moment in the spotlight.

Setting: The Hampton Bays Community Center, where members of the Southampton Town Youth Bureau are holding auditions for a new teen news program to air on SEA-TV, the educational and government access television station for Southampton Town, which airs on Channel 22.

The purpose of the new teen news show, which will begin airing after the first of the year, according to Youth Bureau Director Nancy Lynott, is to get kids involved in the community by giving them a voice on air. And it’s not just an in-front-of-the-camera opportunity, as all of the teens who auditioned will be given a shot to be a part of the newscast shorts by giving input on content, programming and format.

But for most of the kids who showed up to audition, the SEA-TV program will be much more than the opportunity to be heard here on the East End. All of those interviewed said they wanted to get a jump-start on their careers, and that becoming involved with the Youth Bureau news program, would give them an edge when it came time to enter the competitive job market.

Charlie Schneider, a freshman at Hampton Bays High School, said he is much more interested in being behind the camera than in front of it. The student, who was active in the Audio Visual club in middle school, said he plans on pursuing a career as a director.

“I thought it would be a good idea to come, to get active now,” he said.

Haley Schoeck, a junior at Westhampton Beach High School, is an aspiring newscaster who is laser-focused on her goal of breaking into broadcasting. Clad in an outfit befitting a professional anchorwoman (a dark sweater set paired with a colorful scarf), she showed up to audition prepared—she had a headshot in one hand and a photo of her from a trip to the CNN studios in Atlanta, taken a week before the auditions.

Ms. Schoeck, who said she wants “Robin Meade’s job at HLN,” is planning on majoring in communications and is especially interested in politics. In addition to becoming involved with SEA-TV, she is currently seeking admission to a summer broadcasting program at Barnard College.

“It’s something I’ve wanted to do my whole life and I think this is a great step toward achieving that goal,” she said, adding that she’s been singing, acting and performing since portraying Miss Hannigan in the Quogue Elementary School production of “Annie” when she was a sixth-grader.

Johanna Poremba and her cousin, Anthony Nieto, both juniors at Southampton High School, showed up together to give each other moral support and to take advantage of all the SEA-TV opportunities—in front of, and behind the camera. The two said that they have been putting on shows together and filming them since they were children.

Ms. Poremba, who said she likes to write and hopes to be a published author, said that she would gladly report on air but that behind-the-scenes writing is more in her comfort zone.

“I’m not too worried, I did okay,” she said of her on-camera audition. “It was a bit nerve-racking to read the script with two cameras on you, though.”

As for Mr. Nieto, though he’s also interested in writing, he said he definitely prefers to be in front of the camera.

“I’ll do whatever they want me to do. My thing is if you want to do something, then go for it,” he said.

The idea for the SEA-TV teen news program surfaced last September, said Youth Board member Christina Scandole, a senior at McGann-Mercy High School in Riverhead. Her efforts have been instrumental in getting the news program off the ground. “Yes, I was the audition reel guinea pig, and I’ll do whatever is needed,” she said. “But I’m more comfortable doing what I’m doing right now.”

During the auditions, Ms. Scandole was the person in charge of getting scripts in teens’ hands and getting them prepped for their shot in front of the camera.

“Just be yourself and feel free to add some flair,” she said as she ushered potential newscasters in to their auditions.

Stage veteran Colby Herbst, a senior at Westhampton Beach High School, took Ms. Scandole at her word, delivering a “cold” script read-through that would make any newscaster proud. The aspiring actor has performed in several local theater productions, including “The Oddballs” at the Bellport Theater and will be the lead in the upcoming Westhampton Beach school production of “The Gift.”

After his audition, Mr. Herbst discussed his goals of pursuing a career similar to that of his idol, Tom Hanks.

“I’d like to get some small roles in television shows, leading up to movies,” he said.

His advice for himself and others who want to be in entertainment or part of the news media: “Take notes and prepare,” he said. “This business is hard. It takes a lot more time than you think.”