Warrior TV’s first director signing off

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  • Charles Dewalt (Photo/Stephanie Hill)
    Charles Dewalt (Photo/Stephanie Hill)
  • After 19 years with White County School System, Charles Dewalt is signing off. (Photo/Stephanie Hill)
    After 19 years with White County School System, Charles Dewalt is signing off. (Photo/Stephanie Hill)
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After 19 years with White County School System, Charles Dewalt is signing off.

The longtime WTVN-Warrior TV executive director is retiring, with this Friday, Nov. 22, being his last day on the job. Dewalt, 63, has guided the program from its first days to earning national recognition. 

He joined the school system as a volunteer 19 years ago in the technology department, continuing for about a year and a half before being hired and placed in charge of school websites.

Ten years ago, Dewalt was transferred to White County High School, around the same time former principal John Osborne arrived. The school had received a grant to start a streaming service, and Osborne asked Dewalt if he would be interested in overseeing it.

“(We) ended up picking five highly motivated students, and that’s how we started what is known today as Warrior TV,” Dewalt says. “One of those five students is Kayla Everett, who is now back teaching.”

Everett said she’s enjoyed working with Dewalt, originally as a student and now a co-worker.

“Coming back to Warrior TV has meant so much to me and to get to work alongside him has made it that much sweeter,” Everett says. “Charles is by far one of the hardest, most dedicated workers and will be sorely missed. Warrior TV will not be the same.”

Because Dewalt was not a certified teacher when the program launched, Warrior TV was initially a Work-Based Learning program.

“I had the kids for one block in the back of the media center,” he says. “I taught them Adobe and did all the editing and we started setting up streaming abilities.”

From there, Warrior TV grew. Students started streaming athletics, community events and more.

“I’m very proud of the progression of the program over the years and I’m very proud to leave it in a condition which I tried for so many years to get to,” he says. “It used to take us to set up an average, say a football game, about six to eight hours for me to set up with stringing cable and all that in order to be able to stream and produce a multi-camera live broadcast. Now we can do that with eight cameras and we’re done in 15 minutes. That is a huge accomplishment.”

Dewalt is proud of how the program has flourished over the years and says that credit belongs to the students.

“It’s a team effort. It’s the kids and they have got us to where our program has received several national awards, recognition from just about everywhere, state and nationally,” he says. “That has also helped our program become known enough to help other schools across the state and actually nation develop broadcast journalism program.”

Dewalt says he wants to retire now because to leave on a good note.

“It’s been an amazing ride. I can’t believe it’s coming to an end. It’s the end of an era for me, but it doesn’t mean the end of the program,” he says. “I’m leaving the program in outstanding hands with Ms. Everett and also Mr. [Robert] Lundy now coming in.”

WCHS principal Mary Anne Collier calls Dewalt a “one-in-a-million” person that someone is lucky to meet and luckier to work with.

“Charles has been instrumental in the inception, development, and growth of the Broadcast Program at White County High School as well as the Warrior Television Network (WTVN),” she says. “His servant’s heart and vision for the program have allowed students of all ages the opportunity to participate in broadcasting experiences. We are going to miss Charles, not just for his work with WTVN, but for his ‘just jump in wherever I’m needed’ attitude. With the addition of Robert Lundy, our new executive director of WTVN, we are very excited about the future of WTVN and know that this program will continue to grow and set records within the industry.”

White County School System Superintendent Dr. Laurie Burkett praised Dewalt for his efforts.

“Charles has such a passion for what he does,” Burkett says. “Through his hard work and heart, a very special program has been built.”

Dewalt appreciates the community’s support over the years. He thanks the students for all the work they put into the program, and is grateful to the White County Board of Education for their trust in him and the program.

Prior to WCSS

Before coming to the White County School System, Dewalt spent 17½ years in law enforcement in Michigan and South Florida. He left when he was injured in the line of duty in 1995, retiring as a lieutenant.

While in law enforcement, he worked road patrol, narcotics, and did some detective work. He did programming of computers in cars, along with also working with technology and filming of crime scenes.

“That’s where I got my experience for what I’m doing here today,” he says. “The technology has changed over the years, but the concept is the same.”

Dewalt moved to White County in 1997, which is where his mom lived. He says he always said he was going to retire here.

“I love the country area, I love the mountains, and I just love the whole White County area,” he says.

 

Future plans

Dewalt says he has been offered multiple post-retirement jobs. He is involved at The Bridge Church, where he serves as an elder and production director. He says he’s going to work with the church part-time as facilities and production director, though there is another local part-time job he is considering. He still plans to be involved with Warrior TV, though.

“Two years ago or three years ago, I was nominated to the National Board of Directors for Student Television Network, which is the organization that governs all of us,” Dewalt says. “Because of our recognition and what we’ve done, I was blessed to be nominated by several schools to be on the board of directors, so that’s where I currently serve. I’m going to continue to serve on that.”