For many people, high school can be a gateway to finding the career you want to go into: from hands-on experience in a hospital, to working in a professional kitchen.

For other students, it’s being on the sidelines at the Big 12 Championship, the Cotton Bowl, or Mavs Media Day.

For two broadcast students, these opportunities have become a reality with senior Luke Martin being able to attend mavs media day, and be on the sidelines of the Big 12 Championship game.

“Getting to have these opportunities has been really cool experience because, you know, there’s not many other high schoolers that are getting to do these things,” senior Luke Martin said. “It’s really cool at this age to just be in these professional settings, and I’m a huge sports fan. So just at Mass Media Day, you know, being right next to all my favorite NBA players and then right there on the sideline for the big championship, it was just really cool.”

Wingspan adviser Brian Higgins, who has worked on the sidelines at professional and college games, knows things are a lot different than working a game at Kuykendall Stadium.

“Covering high school sports versus covering a college or professional sport is just dramatically different,” Higgins said. “The work isn’t that much different, but the environment is a huge difference. When you’re at AT&T Stadium covering the Big 12 Championship or the Cotton Bowl, there’s so many other people around, and you just have to be very aware of what it’s like and you’re working with all professionals.”

Junior Ryan Shapiro had his chance to work alongside professionals at this year’s Cotton Bowl.

“I’m looking forward to getting that professional experience because I want to go into a field related with sports journalism or broadcasting or something like that,” Shapiro said. “It’s really exciting to get this real world experience in high school and to actually be on the field and experience what the game is like down there.”

“I think it’s important as a teacher to let students know that there’s more out there,” Higgins said. “The learning doesn’t have to stop or be limited by the classroom, that if there’s something they want to pursue or they’re interested in, go for it.”