Chesterton High School junior Brooke Sauter says that even as a child in middle school she dreamed of being on the radio airwaves like her idol, Dick Biondi.
At the Indiana Association of School Broadcasters competition in Indianapolis last month, Sauter didn’t just fulfill her dream of becoming a broadcaster, she became a broadcasting champion, taking first place in live radio news broadcast and first place in live television news anchoring categories.
“I’ve always been really outgoing and love to talk to people. My parents talked to me and my sister as adults with a big vocabulary,” Sauter said, identifying reasons why she was attracted to broadcasting.
When Sauter had the chance to use her skills as a member of Chesterton High School’s WDSO radio and television stations, she jumped at the chance to be like her idol.
“I’ve always admired Dick Biondi. When I was in middle school I would stay up until midnight and listen to his radio show because he’s my favorite,” she said. “He has a great personality, he’s a staple in Chicago. I wanted to do what he does and now here I am on the radio.”
Matthew Waters, WDSO station manager and radio/TV instructor, said Sauter is a natural and her successful performance at the Indiana Association of School Broadcasters competition was astounding.
“There are 750 students who attend from 25 different high schools in Indiana and compete in 30 different categories, three of which are live events and students can only compete in two of those. Brooke competed in two and won both. In the 10 years I’ve been teaching, and I’ve been to this competition every year, I’ve never seen anyone win both of these categories,” Waters says.
He attributes Sauter’s success to her innate ability and her desire to accomplish her goals.
“A lot of high school students don’t present themselves well, but Brooke does. You have to be professional and Brooke is professional. And then it really comes down to how well you speak, and that’s what won it for her,” Waters said. “Fluency, pausing at the right times, speaking as if you are actually an anchor, that is tough.”
Sauter said she just tries to be as “cool and collected as possible.”
Chesterton High School Principal Jeff Van Drie said Sauter has worked hard to realize her dreams.
“I think it’s amazing. She deserves it,” he said. “She works hard here at the station and has been diligent and dedicated and it’s paid off for her.”
He said that the facilities at the school provide an opportunity for Sauter and other students to practice their skills.
“We had John Records Landecker visit two years ago and he said of all the radio stations he’s worked at he has never seen a radio station as nice as this one,” Van Drie said. “We have a lot of pride in the radio station.”
Sauter said she plans to pursue a career in broadcasting after she graduates so that one day her voice can crackle through the air like Biondi’s did on a middle school night in Northwest Indiana.
“I would like to go into on-air disc jockeying, and television would be nice, but I like radio because I like the music aspect of it,” she said.