February 9, 2023

KLHS Broadcasting
Liberty High School
200 Blue Jay Dr.
Liberty MO 64068

To the Selection Committee,

I’m writing to recommend Sam Brusven for recognition as “Journalist of the Year.”

Sam has been a broadcast student for the past three years at Liberty High School. Sam has grown into a
student leader as the lead reporter by producing packages for our KLHS TV broadcasts. Sam embraces
the assignment, the Sony mirrorless cameras and mentors his peers on how to use the cameras and soft-
ware needed to produce packages.

As a staff member Sam has explored challenging topics such as a story about a fellow student who helped
raise her brother while fighting the court system to establish proper custodian and guardianship for her
sibling. He’s assisted several broadcast students with their award-winning feature about a student who
made her own homecoming dress as well as story about a cross country coach who became a marathon
runner.

His skills with the Sony camera have helped lead our student staff away from traditional video cameras to
embrace the challenges of filming in a more cinematic style used by boutique video production studios.

In addition to broadcasting, Sam was a student manager for the Blue Jays women’s volleyball program.
He documented many of their games during their historic 32-3 season. And the LHS men’s volleyball
club is a direct result of Sam’s organizing and evangelism for the program which started independent of
the school.

Sam has a unique passion for photography and broadcasting which is why I’m recommending him for
consideration.

Thanks,

Darren Whitley
Video Production Specialist
LTN Global Communications - Liberty High School