Quick Summary
Main focus: officially beginning the internship, discussing media goals for the organization, planning content ideas for social media, and learning more about the structure of Monday night practices and the annual spring show.
Official Internship Meeting
On Friday, January 30, I met with Linda Althof at Penn State Behrend for our first official internship meeting.
One of the first things we did was complete the online internship form required by the DIGIT program so the internship could officially begin. We intentionally kept the internship description somewhat broad so I would have flexibility in the types of projects I could help with throughout the semester.
The main areas we discussed included:
- Media gathering and documentation
- Social media content and promotion
- Website redesign and modernization
- Promotion for the annual spring show
- General communication support for the organization
At this point, we still had not discussed many specific details about the website rebuild itself. My original idea was to work with Linda Allen, who helps manage the current website, to improve what already existed. However, after spending more time looking through the current site and learning more about the organization, I started realizing that the project would likely require a much more complete rebuild rather than small updates.
Because Gliding Stars was entering the busiest part of its season leading up to the annual show, we decided that major website work would probably make more sense later in the semester after show season had ended.
Learning the Structure of Monday Nights
A major part of the meeting involved learning how Monday night practices are structured and discussing the best ways for me to capture media without disrupting the flow of the program.
Linda explained that practices are extremely busy and fast-moving, so if I needed to capture specific shots or repeat something for video purposes, it would usually be best to coordinate with someone like Alexis Mattocks ahead of time.
We also discussed the general flow of a typical Monday night practice at Mercyhurst Ice Center:
- Around 6:00 p.m. — skaters begin arriving and free skate begins
- Around 6:10 p.m. — skaters split into lesson groups
- Group lessons typically run for 20–30 minutes
- Choreography work for the annual show takes place during practice
- Around 6:45–7:15 p.m. — free skate with music
Linda also explained that practices on February 9 and February 16 would be divided into smaller rotating groups to create more space for show choreography rehearsals.
One detail that really stood out to me was the size of the program. Gliding Stars currently has more than 70 skaters, which requires a huge amount of coordination from coaches and volunteers every week.
Social Media and Content Ideas
A large portion of our conversation focused on social media and ways the organization could improve its digital presence.
One thing that became very clear during the discussion is that Gliding Stars has almost no real public digital footprint outside of occasional local news coverage. Most of the organization’s online activity currently exists within a private Facebook group made up mostly of current and former families.
Linda mentioned that one recent improvement was finally making the organization’s Facebook profile public—something that had apparently been difficult to figure out previously.
We talked about how short-form video content, especially vertical videos and reels, is currently one of the best ways for organizations to reach people online. Since Gliding Stars already has such a visually engaging environment, there are a lot of opportunities to create short, high-energy videos that could help tell the story of the program.
One of the biggest goals of expanding social media outreach is volunteer recruitment.
As Linda emphasized multiple times throughout our conversation, the program cannot function without volunteers. Recruiting and retaining volunteers has become more difficult since COVID, and social media could potentially help introduce new people to the organization and show that there are many different ways to get involved.
Brainstorming Video Series Ideas
Many of the ideas we discussed came from conversations I had earlier that week with Alexis Mattocks.
One thing Alexis suggested was creating recurring “series” of short-form videos focused on different aspects of the program. Instead of simply posting random clips from practice, the idea would be to create content that consistently teaches people something about Gliding Stars.
Some of the ideas we discussed included:
Assistive Equipment Series
A video series explaining the different types of adaptive skating equipment used by skaters.
Potential topics included:
- The difference between walkers and gait trainers
- Who each type of equipment is designed for
- Demonstrations of how skaters get in and out of equipment
- How equipment helps skaters gain confidence and independence
Volunteer Spotlight Series
A series focused on the volunteers who make the program possible.
Potential topics included:
- What volunteers do each week
- How volunteers are paired with skaters
- The physical demands of helping certain skaters
- Why volunteers continue coming back year after year
“How Gliding Stars Works” Series
A series introducing people to the structure of the program itself.
Topics could include:
- The different lesson groups
- How skaters progress through skill levels
- The role of synchronized group performances
- How choreography for the annual show is developed
Off-Ice Volunteer Roles
Another important idea was highlighting ways people can help even if they do not know how to skate.
Many people probably assume volunteering requires being on the ice, but Gliding Stars also depends heavily on people helping with:
- Equipment
- Costumes
- Fundraising
- Registration and organization
- Show preparation
- Administrative work behind the scenes
This could be another helpful recruitment angle for social media content.
Beginning Promotion for the Annual Show
Because the annual spring show was approaching quickly, Linda and I agreed that creating promotional content for the show would likely become one of my first major priorities.
This year’s show includes several exciting elements, including:
- A live band returning for the first time in several years
- An MC and full production setup
- Costumes and commemorative shirts
- Guest skaters and surprise moments throughout the evening
We also discussed the possibility of me capturing video coverage of the show itself.
A professional production company had already been hired to record the full performance, which meant I would not need to focus on producing the primary show recording. Instead, I would have the freedom to move throughout the arena capturing alternate angles, behind-the-scenes moments, audience reactions, and social-media-friendly content during the event.
Banquet Invitation
Toward the end of the meeting, Linda also mentioned the organization’s annual banquet scheduled for March 26.
Before this conversation, I had not really known much about the banquet because it is only briefly mentioned on the website. Linda invited both Ashlynn and me to attend, which was very kind and made me feel even more welcomed by the organization.
Reflection
This meeting helped transform the internship from just an idea into something much more concrete.
Up until this point, most of my involvement with Gliding Stars had been observational or based on the promotional video from last semester. This was the first real conversation focused on long-term goals and how my skills could potentially support the organization moving forward.
One thing that stood out to me throughout the meeting was how much potential there is for storytelling within Gliding Stars. There are so many meaningful stories happening every Monday night, but very little of that currently reaches the public online.
It also became clear that social media for an organization like this is not just about promotion—it is also about education, volunteer recruitment, and helping people understand the impact of the program.
Next Steps
- Continue attending Monday night practices to gather photos and video
- Begin experimenting with short-form video ideas and reels
- Capture content related to the annual spring show
- Continue learning more about the organization’s structure and communication needs
- Eventually begin planning for a full website redesign later in the semester