Teacher Feature September 2025: Preston Donakowski

Each month, we spotlight and celebrate an educator in our community.

Preston Donakowski is an award-winning former journalist turned high school teacher. Under his leadership, the Falcon News Network at East Kentwood High School in Kentwood, Michigan, has grown from a class of 12 to one with over 100 applicants. In addition to their weekly news broadcast, students create podcasts, run their own live online radio station, and are launching their own news website. Their live sports broadcasts alone have drawn over 50,000 views, showcasing the incredible reach and impact of their work.

Discover Preston’s favorite lessons, pro tips, and go-to gear in the Q&A below.

How long have you been using StoryMaker resources? 3 years

What’s your favorite StoryMaker lesson or prompt? Been there, lit that has helped simplify all of my lighting lectures and demonstrations. The worksheet also gets students truly thinking about lighting, the different situations, and the process of thinking through those things without a camera in their hands, which has made our students really have a new appreciation for lighting.

What’s a media-making tool or resource you can’t live without? I would say our Sony A7SIII cameras have been outstanding! They just provide our students and myself with so much versatility, and are such a great all-around camera. We love using them and swapping glass for whatever situation arises!

What’s your advice for teachers and educators just getting started on StoryMaker? You do not need to conquer the world and teach everything in a single day. Day by day, no matter how big or how small the lesson, improvement means improvement. You got this! 

Links to student work: Falcon News Network

What’s a dream story you’d like to report on or a person you’d like to interview? I would love to sit down with Ryan Coogler and pick his brain on everything surrounding cinematography. I feel like even a five-minute lesson from him would elevate my skillset beyond my wildest imagination, and then the thought of carrying that knowledge and providing it to my students? Wow, that’s the dream!

Currently listening to: I’ve had the new album from my favorite band, Hot Mulligan, on repeat since it came out a few weeks ago! Midwest-Emo has the ultimate hold on me. 

Fun facts? We won our first three Michigan Emmy Awards last spring!

You can reach out to Preston directly to learn more about how he’s integrated StoryMaker into his classroom. Email him at preston.donakowski@kentwoodps.org