Quick Summary
Main focus: reconnecting with Gliding Stars, proposing the internship, and observing a Monday night practice to better understand how the program operates.
How This Started: COMM 429
My connection to Gliding Stars of Erie actually started last semester in COMM 429: Advanced Media Field Production at Penn State Behrend.
One of our assignments was to create a promotional video for two different nonprofit organizations in the community. In theory this sounded simple, but in practice it was surprisingly difficult. I spent a lot of time calling and reaching out to organizations around Erie, and most either didn't answer or never got back to me.
For my first project, I leaned into a personal connection and made a promotional video for Lakewood Preschool, where my mom used to work. That project went well, but for the second video I still needed another nonprofit.
That's when I thought about Gliding Stars of Erie.
My mom has worked for many years with a woman with cerebral palsy who has participated in the program for a long time. Because of that connection, I actually attended one of the Gliding Stars shows when I was younger. I don't remember every detail, but I still remember the feeling of the arena: the spotlights on the ice, the skaters lining up together, and the balloon drop at the end of the show.
So I decided to reach out to program director Linda Althof to see if they would be interested in letting me create a video about the program.
Shooting the Promotional Video
Linda agreed, and my girlfriend Ashlynn and I went to a Monday night practice to capture footage for the video.
We gathered a variety of shots throughout the night, including:
- Skaters practicing and smiling at the camera
- Volunteers assisting skaters on the ice
- Wide shots of the rink and practice environment
- Lots of general B-roll showing the energy and heart of the program
A few days later, I interviewed Linda at Penn State Behrend in front of our TV studio's green screen. The idea was to use her explanation of the program as the main narration for the video while the footage from Monday night played over top of it.
The final result was an upbeat promotional video introducing the organization and highlighting what the program means for the skaters and their families.
Video: Gliding Stars of Erie Promotional Video
The response from Linda and the rest of the Gliding Stars team was extremely positive. They were very happy with how it turned out, and I believe it was even shared in their private Facebook group.
My mom even suggested that the video could potentially be played on the Erie Otters jumbotron during the intermission when Gliding Stars take the ice for their annual Otters skating night. Unfortunately I had just missed the timing for that this year — but maybe next year!
Proposing the Internship
Fast forward to this semester...
As part of my final semester at Behrend, I need to complete either a senior project or an internship. Instead of doing a project just to fulfill the requirement, I started thinking about whether I could use the opportunity to help a local organization.
Gliding Stars immediately came to mind.
They already knew my work from the promotional video, and I had noticed something while looking through their website: it works, but it's not very mobile-friendly, and today most people are accessing websites on their phones.
So I decided to reach out and see if they would be interested in having me help with things like:
- Redesigning the website
- Improving their digital presence
- Creating social media content
- Helping document and promote their annual show
This was the email I sent to Linda proposing the internship.
Hi Linda! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season.
I am reaching out to inquire about fulfilling a requirement for my final semester at Behrend this spring. I am currently signed up to complete a "senior project". The alternative to this is an unpaid internship. Despite my semester beginning this week, I still have some time to figure out what my project/internship will look like. And I got to thinking: instead of creating something random solely for the sake of doing a project, I might be able to offer my time and skills to an organization like yours and make something meaningful!
My major is Digital Media, Arts, and Technology, which means I've been doing anything from creating videos like the one I made for you last semester, to website development and social media marketing. So, I would love to do things like revamping your website (while most importantly making sure it is easy for you and your volunteers to continue to maintain), make engaging posts on your Facebook group, find other ways to get the word out to the community about what you're doing, and even help out with the production of your spring show!
Basically, I would be yours for 8–10 hours a week to work on anything you'd like in the world of communication & digital media!
Let me know what you think!
Warm regards, Michael Simons
Linda responded quickly and said they would love the help. She mentioned that she planned to bring the idea to the Gliding Stars board during their next meeting.
Returning to Monday Night Practice
The following Monday, January 26, I went back to Mercyhurst Ice Center to reconnect with everyone and start observing the program again.
When I arrived, Linda greeted me very enthusiastically and immediately introduced me to Alexis Mattocks, one of the coaches and a major contributor to the organization behind the scenes. Alexis also works at Penn State Behrend, which made the connection even easier.
Before she had to head out onto the ice to coach, Alexis quickly shared several ideas she has always wanted to do for Gliding Stars — especially in the areas of social media and storytelling. Because she spends most of her time coaching or helping run practices, she hasn't had the time to implement many of those ideas herself.
I quickly started jotting notes in my phone as she talked so I wouldn't forget anything later.
After that conversation, the rest of the evening was mostly spent:
- Meeting some of the volunteers who run the front desk
- Reintroducing myself to Linda
- Observing how a typical Monday night practice works
- Taking mental notes about the structure of the program
Practices are extremely busy, and Linda in particular is constantly moving between tasks. Because of that, Monday nights aren't the best time for long conversations or planning meetings, but they were a great way for me to get reacquainted with the program and see the environment firsthand.
Early Observations
Even just being there for one evening reminded me how much of the program depends on the energy and dedication of volunteers.
There are dozens of skaters on the ice, each with different needs and abilities, and it takes a huge number of people working together to make the night run smoothly. Coaches, helpers, and family members are constantly encouraging the skaters and celebrating their progress.
The atmosphere is very positive and supportive, which is something I'll want to capture accurately as I start helping with media and communication for the organization.
Reflection
This first stage of the internship has mostly been about reconnecting and laying the groundwork.
Even though the actual projects (like the website redesign) haven't started yet, spending time observing the program and talking with the people involved has already been helpful. Understanding how the organization operates — and what matters most to the people running it — will make it much easier to create media and communication materials that actually represent the program well.
Next Steps
- Meet with Linda Althof to discuss internship goals and expectations
- Review the ideas Alexis mentioned about social media and storytelling
- Continue attending Monday night practices to document and observe the program
- Begin evaluating the current Gliding Stars website