HOOPESTON — It would take a highlight reel to tell the story of Dan Reed’s 40 years as a teacher with the Hoopeston school district.

Reed, whose renowned media program has provided highlight footage for the NJCAA basketball tournament for nearly 10 years, will retire at the end of this school year.

“The program is what it is because of the leadership of Dan Reed,” said Hoopeston High School Principal Larry Maynard. “He created the mission and the vision. We’re all committed to keep it going.”

Maynard said the school has been training staff to take over Reed’s duties, which have grown from simply teaching classes to coordinating a program that has students recording community events throughout the year.

The school’s video-production program gives students experience through a full-size production facility and Reed’s classrooms are lined with marked and dated videotapes.

An Eastern Illinois University graduate, Reed said he started tinkering with the school’s new video equipment five years into his new job as speech teacher.

“We had gotten some (camera) equipment and somebody said, ‘You should get that out and start shooting some things for the school,’” he said. “Then we started doing things farther out.”

Before long, students were recording class reunions and the town’s annual National Sweetheart Pageant, and getting work through Reed’s EIU contacts for highlight footage for the school’s football team. Along the way, they picked up tournament duties and continue to form work partnerships with local organizations, such as the nearby hospital.

Maynard said that’s been Reed’s genius: Connecting the students with the community and showing each what the other has to offer.

“He’s got our kids running everywhere for a lot of people,” said Maynard. “He knows what it means to reach out to the community and he gets his students involved. He trains them and sends them out.”

Reed, who said many of his graduates have gone on to make video-production careers, said an event like DACC has value even for students unsure of their future job course.

“There’s a lot more too it than just shooting (video),” said Reed, directing students to their spots before Wednesday’s first tournament game — one of three days his students were scheduled to film.

“They have to act like young, professional adults, which is something they’re going to have to do no matter what career they choose,” he said. “This is really on-the-job training.”

Senior Kyle Hufford said he wasn’t sure how he might use video production for his likely teaching career, but he’s glad he’s learned the technology.

“It’s going to be an option,” he said. “The way technology is, it’s always going to be there and it’s good to know as much as you can.”

He said the tournament, his second, was the best part of the class work.

“I love basketball and I don’t have to sit in school today,” he said. “You always see this on TV and wonder how it all happens.”

Sophomores Regan Staley and Kimberly South, up at the top Mary Miller Gymnasium bleacher with the cameras just moments before the game, said they were both nervous bout “missing the shot.”

“I just don’t want to mess up,” said Staley, who took the class out of curiosity and some convincing from Mr. Reed. “I just don’t want to drop the camera.”

Sophomore Gage Fouse said he reluctantly took the class to fill schedule requirements because he’ll likely seek a career in construction — but he’s glad he did.

“I got put in it at school,” he said, “but I liked it and I stuck with it. I really like to videotape.”

Reed said no particular event led to his retirement, “I just think it’s time to let somebody younger do this. I’d rather sit back and watch them shoot.”

According to Maynard, that may not be as easy as Reed would like.

“This doesn’t mean we’ll never see him again,” he said. “He’ll be on speed-dial.”