THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 4, 1994 TAG: 9408040184
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHIRLEY BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
Someday, television viewers may tune in to hear the day's news presented by Monique McLean, who aspires to become a TV anchor on network television.
Travis Miller, on the other hand, has no desire to face the camera. He plans to work behind the scenes as a video engineer or perhaps a television producer.
Both have completed two years of study in television communications as members of the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America.
McLean, a Chesapeake resident, has been accepted at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and was recently awarded a $1,000 scholarship from TCI Cable.
Miller, who lives in Suffolk, will travel to Orlando, Fla., to attend the Fullsail Center for the Recording Arts.
The pair recently teamed up to enter post-secondary competition and won second-place in television production at Vocational Industrial Clubs of America's National Skill Olympics in Kansas City, Mo. Competitors could enter only as a two-member team.
Miller, 18, a graduate of Nansemond River High School, completed his second year in television communications at Pruden Vo-Tech this spring under the direction of Warren Agey. He completed his first year as a high school senior.
McLean, 19, a graduate of Great Bridge High School, recently completed a similar two-year course at the Chesapeake Center for Science and Technology. Her teacher, Andrea Lacey, attended the national competition as an adviser.
``VICA trains you in all aspects of television,'' McLean said. ``A certificate stating you have training helps you if you want to get an internship or an entry-level job at a TV station.
``At college, I'll check at several TV stations,'' she said. ``I'll get my foot in the door some way.''
Their paths crossed when both McLean and Miller decided to enter post-secondary competition on the state level at VICA's Skill Olympics, held in Richmond last May.
The pair met several times to plan their project and then submitted a news package of events taking place at the State Skill Olympics.
``We had two hours to get shots of everything going on and two hours to edit,'' Miller said. ``We took turns working an industry camera used for putting TV shows together, and wrote a script.
``But, mostly, I took the pictures, and Monique did the talking,'' he said. ``Then a tape was submitted for judging.''
Their efforts were rewarded with a first-place award in television production and an invitation to the National Skill Olympics, where 3,000 VICA students competed.
``At national competition, we had more pressure and less time to prepare,'' McLean said. ``There were so many contests, we needed every single minute.
``There were 30 teams from all over the country and seven post-graduate teams competing in television production,'' she said. ``We prepared a 30-second promo on the National Skill Olympics. It was done on-site while we were there.''
Style and substance under pressure were the key to winning, Miller said.
A Suffolk native, Miller is the son of Ronald and Frances Miller of Suffolk.
Miller does volunteer work for WSPS Cable 6, the educational channel in Suffolk. After earning an associate's degree in television and screen production, he hopes to find work with a network television station.
McLean, the daughter of Trina Blunt of Chesapeake, was born in Emporia but moved to Chesapeake when she was 4.
She works at WFOS, a radio station in Chesapeake, where her duties run the gamut from production to spinning records and reading news announcements.
She also is an intern at WCTV at the Chesapeake Center for Science and Technology. ILLUSTRATION: staff photo by John H. Sheally II
Monique McLean and Travis Miller wear medals they won at the
vocational Industrial Clubs of America's National Skill Olympics.
by CNB