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After a year of T.V. Production class at Tomah High School, the school held the first annual Golden Tito Awards on Friday in the school auditorium.

It wasn’t quite the Oscars, but there were comparisons. The show included clips of nominated videos created in the T.V. Production class throughout the year. The show had presenters, trophy presentations, speeches, music from the band, and even a make-shift red carpet. And Tito, the Tomah High School mascot, was on stage to help with the award presentations.

The event, which was attended by the entire student body, was the idea of first-year Tomah High School teacher Joy Blackburn. She said that she got the idea from a similar event that she witnessed while in school in Kansas several years ago.

“I moved here from Kansas where I did theatre, and they had a similar show,” Blackburn said. “I thought it would be fun.”

And from the reaction of many students that attended the event on Friday morning, it was fun. Blackburn thought the event was a success, and has enjoyed teaching T.V. Production for the first time.

“Working with these kids has been an experience,” Blackburn said. “It has been a learning experience for me.”

Video nominations were picked by Blackburn and put together on a DVD for teachers to watch and vote for a winner. Several other teachers were also involved in the show as presenters, award winners, and even playing parts in the nominated videos. There was even a fictional comedy video about a Tomah High School teacher who steals Christmas in the video “The Risch Who Stole Christmas.” And yes, Mrs. Risch played herself, for which she won the Tito Award for best performance by a staff member. “The Risch Who Stole Christmas” also won the Tito Award for best picture.

Other categories and award winners were Best Use of Special Effects: Sean Oberlander for Soberlander TV; Best Editing: David Draeger for Ich Will Nicht Gehen; Best Cinematography: Rob LaFlamme, Cody Cole, Derek Hart and Roger Edwards for Secret Agent Rob; Best Music Video: “I Like to Move It, Move It” by Chris Becker, Seth Rice, Matt Lien, and Matt Loether; Best Stop Action Animation: “Klaymores” by TJ Hove and Dustin Schnitzler; Best Performance by a TV Production Student: TJ Hove for Wesley Gauge in “The Hall Monitor”; Best Performance by a Staff Member: Mary Risch for the Risch Who Stole Christmas; Best Performance by a Non TV Production Student: Matt Kikta for Ich Will

Nicht Gehen; Best Picture: The Risch Who Stole Christmas by Rob Laflamme, Jesse Hart, Derek Hart and Elena Flottmeyer; Best Costume: Derek Hart as The King in Secret Agent Rob.

The school Tech Director, Paul Potter, also used the event to unveil new technology that the school will be using next year. New Imac computers were displayed near the end of the event. Next year, there will be 14 computers in the lab that will be used for the T.V. Production class.

“These computers are the latest and greatest in video and photo editing,” Potter said. “This is a big leap for us.”