BEAT Hall of Fame
Samantha Bates Murray, Brunswick High School graduate of 2002, can be considered the founder of Video Club, known today
as the BEAT Video Program. Her interest in production and video work led her to join forces with program advisor John Wasylko
to film events for the school district. This sparked interest for other middle and high school students and quickly the program
grew.
Murray possessed strong technical and leadership skills, which allowed the BEAT to prosper in its first two years, setting
the foundation for the extraordinary program it is today. Not only did Murray leave a lasting imprint on the BEAT, but the
BEAT had an impact on her, too.
After high school, Murray moved on to Kent State University, where she majored in photography. Now 14 years later, Murray
continues to produce video content. With the help of sponsors, she broadcasts regularly on Twitch, a forum for gaming live
streams, as the persona "Aurora Peachy."
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Sean O'Connor is perhaps one of the most committed students the BEAT Video Program has seen. A 2010 Brunswick High
School graduate, O'Connor was a member of the BEAT when it made the transition from all behind-the-scenes video production
to backpack journalism.
Despite the drastic change, O'Connor remained with the program and thrived, becoming a key team member in leading students
entering the BEAT. O'Connor was also part of the first student-led video documentary team for the Ohio School Boards
Association (OSBA) Capital Conference during his time in the program. Through this experience, he interviewed celebrities
including Soledad O'Brien and Clark Kellogg. The knowledge O'Connor gained while he was in the BEAT set the foundation
for his life today.
He graduated in 2015 from Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, with a master's in communications. Today, Sean is a free-lance
filmmaker and video editor at the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Brunswick, working on short documentaries during
mission trips in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina and Chile.
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