School and Community Winter 2024

Saving Sauer Castle A unique collaboration between education and local history is taking shape in the Grandview C-4 School District. High school English, broadcasting and Kansas City history teacher Diane Euston has embarked on a transformative project involving the historic Sauer Castle. “I am a local historian and have worked in historic preservation, fighting pretty hard publicly to raise awareness on issues,” Euston explained. “I write a bimonthly history column in The Martin City Telegraph which is published in the area. I wrote extensively about the condition of Sauer Castle when the prior owner had it and, because of this, I was interviewed on the news several times advocating for the property.” The new owner, Mike Heitmann, purchased the castle in March 2023 and contacted Euston to inquire about her ideas to keep the community up to date with the renovations. This eventually led to the inception of a film project documenting the castle’s restoration. Knowing the significance of real-world exposure, Euston selected two dedicated Broadcast II students, Kegen and Maya, for the opportunity which extends beyond the traditional classroom setting. “Grandview C-4 is focused at the high school level on giving students real-world learning experiences,” Euston stated. “I wanted Kegen, who is interested in film, to get the experience of working with a client that would give him direct feedback. And Maya, who wants to major in broadcasting, is wonderful in front of a camera - but she needs to work on her filming techniques, specifically with b-roll.” She believes this project will impact the students greatly, as it’s already earned them exposure and is the perfect way for them to expand their reach past the four walls of Grandview High School. “I believe it’s vital for teachers to try to give students opportunities that will be things they will never forget,” Euston said. “High school is about experimentation - learning what you like and what you don’t. This project has solidified their love of film and production, and it’s something they won’t forget! In navigating the intricacies of the Sauer Castle restoration project, the collaborative relationship between the students and owner

has been marked by professionalism and openness. “He talks directly to them when we are on-site filming and then has really given us free reign in filming," Euston detailed. “He arranged for people to be on-site to do interviews, so we have been able to interview the head architect, a foreman and tradesmen as they are working on Sauer Castle. I am the main communicator with the owner, but the students are the ones interacting with the people they interview. I don’t ask the questions - they do!” The end-goal of the project is to create monthly videos updating the public on the progress of the renovation, viewable on the YouTube channel “Saving Sauer Castle.” The first episode highlighted the history of the property, and the second will be about the process of securing the property for the winter. “Future episodes will just document what they are doing on site. The owner stated when he purchased the property that the renovation would take about two years,” Euston said. “This is an independent

project from school, so it won’t be tied to their graduation. Both students are juniors, so even if there is a delay of several months, they should be able to see this project until the very end.” Until recently, the broadcast journalism class was an entirely new venture for Euston. Despite a prior broadcast program that faced challenges in content production, the administration approached her to revamp and lead the program from scratch during the 2022-23 school year. Beginning with no resources, Euston undertook the task of recruiting students for the class. The inaugural year saw the production of broadcasts showcased during advisory sessions, utilizing iPhones for filming. Over time, the program evolved to include a basic set, teleprompter and cameras. Bulldog TV, as it stands today, proudly displays its broadcasts on YouTube. Euston reflects with pride on the remarkable progress achieved by the program within a short span and looks forward to the ongoing collaboration with Sauer Castle.

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