Watchfire Signs Announces Scholarship Winner

Danville, Illinois-based Watchfire Signs, a manufacturer of LED virtual scoreboards and video boards, announces the first winner of its annual Fired Up Watchfire Scholarship. The scholarship recognizes a high school student who develops standout content for a high school Watchfire video scoreboard or display.

Joseph Bunton, a senior at Danville High School, created a hype video for his peers on the varsity basketball team, and his winning entry earned him $500.

“Joey produced two excellent hype videos that we used before announcing the starting line ups for our basketball games. These videos are amazingly well done and get all eyes on the board when they are played,” says Mark Bacys, the school’s athletic director.

Aside from the hype videos, Bunton has produced game content, GIFs, and other short videos to keep attendees excited. He plans to study video arts at Missouri State University in the fall.

“Joey’s work was really outstanding, and made a positive impact on school pride using the school’s video display at basketball games,” says Mary Ellen Fricke, sports marketing lead at Watchfire Signs. “As the first recipient of our Fired Up scholarship, Joey is setting the bar very high.”

Fricke adds, “We’ve noticed an increase in schools integrating the displays into the curriculum, enabling students to learn video production, design, and content management skills. This provides real-world experience to students, and we want to recognize that effort.”

View the winning entry here.