In Wareham, one hand helps the other when it comes to video production.

Since 2010, Wareham Community Television (WCTV) has lent over $90,000 in video production equipment to Wareham Public Schools, which has been used to create over 300 videos used for WCTV’s education channel and online Eduvision programming. The partnership has led to a better relationship between the two that’s also given students access to top-of-the-line equipment.

“In 2010, we started providing the equipment, but we didn’t really have a good partnership with the schools,” explained Christian Fernandes, WCTV’s educational coordinator. “It’s something that’s progressed over time. Now we can help the schools and have the schools give us stuff to be on TV.”

Last month, WCTV was able to lend approximately $11,000 worth of equipment, including five Apple computers, seven video cameras, and four tripods through revenue created from Verizon and Comcast television contracts in town. Five of those cameras went to Wareham High School and two went to Wareham Middle School.

“We’re getting more shows for us, but it’s not just about ‘for us,'” said Fernandes. “This (using updated equipment) prepares them for college. Kids in middle school are using Final Cut (a state-of-the-art editing program), so they’ll already know what they’ll be using in high school.”

Tom Tricker, who teaches video 1, 2, and 3 at the high school, said that by providing students with better software and hardware, they’re able to produce more high-quality videos at a faster pace. He said class sizes are often around 24 students, and having the extra cameras alone has been helpful.

“We have four or five kids per camera,” he said. “We used to do a lot on tapes, and it took a while to upload videos. With this you can record for 15 minutes, and it takes a minute to upload.”

He said that having Fernandes around more often was helpful as well because he can teach as well as serving as another supervisor while students venture out of the classroom to create videos.

Juniors Noah Campinha, Dylan Tiffany, and Kylie Pena in Tricker’s video 2 class also agreed that the new equipment has enhanced the learning process.

“It definitely helps a lot,” said Campinha. “I like it because technology like this is just really helpful. When you want to do the editing process, it’s just easier, faster, better — it’s a better experience overall.”

“I like this equipment a lot better,” added Tiffany. “You can do a bunch more things. Instead of just making a clip, you can add music, you can add effects to it. You can make it look more like you want it to look.”

“It’s nicer now because we have more things that we could have used then,” said Pena. “The editing systems are a lot cleaner and the quality of the cameras are a lot better now so our shots are on point.”

In a time where budgets are tight at Wareham’s schools, the partnership with WCTV has helped to keep video production going strong.

“It’s been helpful in the fact that we can keep a little more up to date with the equipment,” said Tricker. “With the school budget as tight as it is, it’s hard to get equipment every year and know that you’re going to get equipment every year. More equipment allows more kids to get involved.”