Educational Service Unit 9 host first-ever social media team day

HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - Educational Service Unit 9 hosted their first-ever Social Media Teams Day on Tuesday. The event featured social media influencer and Hastings native, Dante Bolehower.

Schools competed in social media challenges focused on the four E’s; entertaining, engaging, empowering, and educating. ESU9 officials said events like this help students tell their school’s story.

“Schools are in place for students, and so I feel like students should be part of the storytellers of their school,” said Amy Schultz, ESU9 Professional Learning Specialist. “So we have nine school districts here today where they have student lead social media teams that are telling the story of their school.”

Teachers at the event said it’s great way for students to learn how to properly use social media, and eliminate bad content that is sometimes posted.

“They’re going to learn the good way to use social media or the bad way, depending on what we help them with,” said Jeremy Borer, Digital Media Teacher at Sandy Creek High School. “So we’re trying to teach them that promoting and being positive and not the negative side of it, unfortunately that you do see. But your hoping that we can educate them and get rid of some of those bad things that you see and hear on social media.”

Borer said, the career opportunities in social media are endless. Students were also inspired by Dante Boelhower story starting as just as kid from Hastings.

“It’s kind of cool to see all the opportunities he’s gotten from starting here in Hastings and like proves that you don’t have to come from a big city to get something done with your life and that you can do whatever you want with your phone,” said Cayce Barry, Junior at Superior High School.

While Barry was inspired by Dante coming from a nearby small town and making it big with social media. Others were inspired with his drive.

“I think the biggest thing was like determination to post online, post daily, and all that kind of stuff,” said Keon Johnson, Junior at Doniphan-Trumball High School. “Just keep with it.”

Johnson said the event taught him now to apply practices that will get people to engage in online content, and how to make it consistent with the school’s brand.

“Social media is definitely important, things are changing and it’s the easiest way to get people to know what’s going on,” Barry said. “Not everybody watches the news. More people spend time on their phones, things like that, getting information out there.”

Barry said a few things she learned from the event was how to become more organized and how to promote branding.

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