Eye of the Tiger is, without question, one of the most impressive and meaningful programs at Hernando High School, and yet it continues to be one of the most overlooked. This is a daily, student-produced school broadcast that is pre-recorded and posted every single day so it can be shown during first period, as it is supposed to be. The system is already built. The work is already done. The only thing missing is participation. Not a lot of teachers show EOT to their students.

Let’s be clear about what this program actually is. Eye of the Tiger is not thrown together at the last minute. It is carefully planned, scripted, filmed, edited, and finalized by students who work every day to make sure it is ready on time. These students manage cameras, audio, lighting, editing software, graphics, pacing, and deadlines. They problem-solve when things go wrong and redo entire segments to get it right. Their work is polished, professional, and consistent, yet it barely gets the attention it deserves.

The students in Eye of the Tiger work just as hard as athletes, performers, and competitors in any other program at this school. They travel to competitions. And they succeed. Last year, Eye of the Tiger earned an Excellent rating in the broadcast category, and several students won individual and partner awards. That level of achievement reflects real skill, real effort, and real excellence. When a program with that much success is ignored on a daily basis, it sends a damaging message: that some forms of student achievement matter less than others.

Eye of the Tiger exists to inform the school, highlight student achievements, build community, and give students a real voice. When it is ignored, that voice is silenced. If Hernando High School truly values student effort, creativity, and excellence, then it needs to start acting like it. Show the broadcast. Respect the work. Support the students and the advisor who makes it possible.