As Zachary Stanford enters the KBHU-TV studio in the basement of the Black Hills State University library on a Friday afternoon, it immediately hit him what would happen that day. “We’re going to do a newscast today! Yes!”

He is full of excitement and optimism. The emotion and drive like this has been brought into KBHU-TV from a group of young freshman, anchored by Jackie Robles, Stanford, and Wyatt Bills.

KBHU-TV started in 1969 and has been under the direction of Dr. Scott Clarke since 2008. In his time, Clarke has noticed something special about this 2016 freshman class.

“I’ve seen a lot more enthusiasm this year. A lot more people want to jump in and get their hands dirty,” said Clarke.

Robles, Stanford, and Bills have all started their own programming for the campus TV station. Robles, a mass communications major with an emphasis in public relations and broadcasting is from a small town on the eastern Colorado plains. She has high hopes for her newly joined student organization.

“I definitely want to make it a bigger thing here on campus, I want people to know about the news,” she said.

Along with Robles, Stanford wants KBHU-TV to be better known throughout the community. He also enjoys the camaraderie and teamwork with his new classmates.

“My goal is to just be with the people and work with the people and have a good time around the news,” said Stanford.

As Robles and Stanford have their own goals within the KBHU-TV organization, Bills, a New Underwood, South Dakota native, has set his sights on improving the sports department. Bills has taken on roles of being the videographer for the Spearfish City Council meetings and is also producing “Jacket of the Week” segments that feature an interview with a Yellow Jacket star student athlete. Bills’ experience with sports in a small-town community has made his transition to campus television a seamless one.

“From middle school up until high school I played basketball for the school team in New Underwood. I managed the football team, like filmed their games and stuff,” he said.

Bills says his classes will help him benefit KBHU-TV. “So the classes I’m taking are news based so I can learn how to better my scripts and set better angles up for the TV station,” he said.

Clarke and Scott Altstiel, KBHU station manager, both enjoy what they are seeing from their three core freshmen.

“I think it’s awesome because it’s great to have new people come in to carry on what we are doing and then their passion too is great because they want to help out,” Altstiel says.