OSAGE — What began as a simple marketing class project at Osage High School has quickly grown into one of the district’s most impactful student-led initiatives: GSPN, the Green Devil Sports Network.
The program, which started last year, has expanded into a full-fledged digital media class where students take the lead on streaming athletic events, producing school announcements, creating social media content, managing sponsors, and developing real-world communication and technical skills.
High School Business Teacher Kiesha Trettin, who oversees the program, said the idea came from wanting her marketing students to learn by doing.
“It started last year. I taught a marketing class and part of that class we split from learning about marketing and the technical side of it and actually doing it,” Trettin said. “This was our project to have students learn the digital media side of things, the communication with community members, working through businesses, and what aspects they encounter with marketing.”
The class was so successful that it evolved into a stand-alone course focused entirely on GSPN.
“Students are able to use GSPN as the full project to encompass their entire class,” Trettin said.
A Student-Run Network Bridging School and Community
GSPN now streams athletic events and other activities, giving the community access to what’s happening inside the school.
“GSPN is our student-run streaming network,” Trettin said. “We stream athletic events, things happening inside our school, and other public things to bridge the gap between our community and what happens inside our school.”
Students manage nearly every component: digital content creation, communication with broadcasters, promotional work, running social media, and coordinating with local sponsors.
“They work on the digital creation, content creation, promoting events that will be streamed, and a lot of the behind-the-scenes work,” Trettin said. “They collaborate with local businesses that are sponsors, with classmates promoting activities, and they learn the technical side of creation.”
Those skills, she said, are transferable far beyond high school.
“Any of those skills they’re learning are really going to enhance their future,” she said. “Whether it’s at the college level or in a future job.”
A Partnership Strengthening Local Support
GSPN operates in direct partnership with the Osage Booster Club. This year, booster club members were offered sponsorship packages that included GSPN opportunities such as voice ads, commercial ads, and on-screen sponsorships during streams.
“It has been a collaborative environment with our booster club,” Trettin said. “We communicate expectations with members and then create that content and put it out to the public.”
Growing the Program Beyond Athletics
While sports are the backbone of GSPN, the program is expanding into school-wide content. Students are now producing weekly announcements, digital segments, and even covering major school events.
“We’re seeing a slow increase of different content, and that’s what’s exciting,” Trettin said. “We’re streaming the Veterans Day ceremony, we’re producing behind-the-scenes footage, and students are working on weekly digital announcements.”
For Trettin, the program has transformed her role in the classroom.
“One of the best parts as a teacher is learning every day. One of the biggest challenges is learning every day,” she said. “This class has made me and the students grow together. I’m more of a guide than the traditional classroom teacher.”
Student Voices: What GSPN Means to Them ‘A Gateway’ for Creative Students
Senior Ethan Peterson has taken a leadership role in the program. A lifelong athlete, he said GSPN opened the door to the creative side of sports he had always admired.
“I’d always watched NFL highlight films and other creative films that highlighted athletes,” Peterson said. “There had never been a way to get into that until GSPN was started.”
Peterson also helped the program manage new, grant-funded equipment.
“We got an Iowa BEST STEM grant this past year,” he said. “Our last football game was our debut time with our new equipment.”
The learning curve, he said, has been steep but rewarding.
“It’s been a completely different experience,” Peterson said. “I’ve taken a lot of educated guesses and done a lot of research on what will work and what will be worthwhile long-term. Now it’s learning what shots look the best, how to market the school on social media, and honing video editing skills.”
He believes those skills will matter long after graduation.
“Knowing how to be creative and edit video is super helpful for any profession,” he said. “It makes your brain think differently.”
Announcements, Editing, and School Spirit
Sophomore Garrett Elgin works on weekly announcements and “See You at Sawyer” videos.
“We’re working on editing and scripting videos for the announcements—birthdays, the lunch menu, other events,” Elgin said. “For the ‘See You at Sawyer’ videos, we get clips of people saying it and compile them into a video.”
Elgin said the class has transformed his confidence with technology.
“I wasn’t very good with computers before,” he said. “It’s taught me a lot about how to deal with PCs and edit on websites.”
He typically uses Adobe Express and Canva to create videos.
Elgin encourages others to join the class.
“It’s fun to work on your own stuff, and it’s very rewarding when you’re done and can say, ‘I made that,’” he said.
A New Voice for Osage Volleyball
Sophomore Isabelle Reinardy served as a broadcaster for varsity volleyball this season, working alongside Osage Community School Superintendent, Barb Schwamman, and Nolan Peters.
“It was a great experience,” she said. “You get to see a lot of gameplay, meet people who broadcast for other teams, and get involved in the community.”
Reinardy said broadcasting helped her grow more confident as a speaker.
“I'm usually not a great public speaker, but this kind of gets you used to doing it without having to look directly at people,” she said. “You get comfortable hearing your voice and presenting information.”
Her volleyball background made her a natural fit.
“I’ve watched state volleyball broadcasts for years,” she said. “I go off what I’ve heard other people do and add my own spin on it.”
Reinardy prepares carefully for each stream—arriving early, checking technical components, reviewing updated stats, and researching upcoming school events to fill breaks in gameplay.
She said the experience is helping her develop leadership and communication skills.
“It makes me more comfortable presenting and talking to large groups,” Reinardy said. “It helps me be a better leader.”