This previously ran in our February 2022 print issue.

Aspiring YouTubers, streamers, and animators work hand-in-hand at Emmaus’ new Content Creator Club, as students gather to help one another become successful online content producers. 

Aiming to help students who want to pursue a greater online presence, this group of students uses their combined resources to work to build one another up and try to grow their content together. Oftentimes, young creators lack the resources and connections to be able to find success and are left to try to do everything on their own. However, this club is looking to change that. The meetings connect students in the same boat, creating the support possible to boost the quality of their videos. 

Freshman Everett Creely produces a unique blend of content and posts them on his YouTube channel, Ecreely. From gaming, to tech, to reaction videos, Creely dips into any topic he feels passionate about at the moment. As the founder of the club, Creely takes the reins of each meeting and facilitates conversations about different aspects of content production.

Creely thought about joining a club for people like him since middle school, but when he came to the high school and noticed the club didn’t exist, he decided to make it himself. 

“I’ve never heard anyone talk about something like this before, and I always thought that I would join a club like this if it existed,” Creely said. “I already knew a lot of people that made YouTube videos in school — more than [there are] in the club — so I thought it would be a good idea.”

One day in his history class, Creely found an opportunity to make this idea into a reality, as his teacher, Eric Luckenbill, mentioned clubs in class. Creely took this chance to ask Luckenbill to be the advisor for his club, and he agreed to volunteer. Now Creely runs every meeting on his own, taking the podium to start “teaching” ways to grow the quality of everybody’s content as he shares his own powerpoint. A couple days before, he takes the time to collect information about different helpful programs and tips for the members, helping newer creators along and providing different perspectives to older ones.

Creely’s main goal for the club is to grow everyone’s talents, and help them to become better creators together. 

“I want to help everyone further their channel,” Creely said. “We can help each other advance and gain more [of a] following and we can help each other improve our content which is good for everyone involved.” 

Freshman Charles Lambert has been making Minecraft videos for four years. Starting after his brother introduced him to the idea of making videos, he has now regularly created content for his YouTube channel. He brings his experience from years of creating these videos to the group, sharing his own methods and seeking new ways to grow. 

Lambert initially joined Content Creator Club in support of Creely’s new pursuit, but has grown to see the advantages to working in a group.

“My brother kind of got me into it [making videos]. I was also just kind of interested in this stuff,” Lambert said. “I wanted to support my friend, and I get experience from other people here.”

While many choose to create gaming or reaction videos, one student joined the club to better his animation video skills. 

Junior Charles Cuadra taught himself how to make his own animations almost four years ago online, using different videos and websites to show him how. As a self-taught animator, Cuadra fabricates stories with his friends, then creates a digital animation to accompany it. 

“We came up with little stories with my friends and I was so inspired by little comics and the cartoon style as a kid,” Cuadra said. “I guess it was just my creative juices flowing telling me, ‘Hey you know what would be fun? What if you started making videos like these?’”

Cuadra wants to pursue an art degree in the future, and continue to publish his stories online. 

Finding Content Creator Club has offered Cuadra more than a chance to improve his work, as he has found a group of his peers just like him which he didn’t know existed before. 

“Sometimes when you’re out in the regular school, you just kind of feel like you’re an outcast with all of the stuff that you’re interested in and stuff that you do,” Cuadra said. “You come to a place like Content Creator Club, [and] there’s a bunch of people who are just like you and it just feels good… to know that you’re not alone.”