Westlake appoints new head of student-run TV station

Les Szekely of Bay Village has been appointed to take over the reins of the Westlake City School District’s student-run television station, WHBS-TV, this fall. Szekely, a WHS graduate, currently hosts morning drive on WEOL AM 930. He also is an adjunct professor of communications at John Carroll University, Notre Dame College of Ohio and Cuyahoga Community College.

At JCU he teaches public speaking and electronic media studies. At Notre Dame he teaches interpersonal communication, speech, film studies, radio/TV, writing for non-print media and organizational communication. At Tri-C, he teaches interviewing, speech and interpersonal communication.

“I have spent my entire professional career working in both the media and teaching, so a lifetime of preparation has met opportunity,” Szekely said. “WHBS will be the media voice of the entire community, and there is a goldmine of exciting new and unexplored possibilities. These kids are really creative, and we are going to make their creative vision shine.”

He graduated from Baldwin-Wallace College in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in Communications/Sociology. He earned a master’s degree in teaching (MAT) in Integrated Language Arts from Kent State University in 2005.

Szekely spent several years as a feature film/TV writer/director/producer in Los Angeles and Cleveland, earning an Emmy Award and an ACE Award for his work in television comedy. He also was named 2009 Outstanding Teacher at Notre Dame College.

“I will make it my professional and personal mission every day to do my part in maintaining the excellent standard that Westlake has come to know and expect from WHBS,” Szekely said. “I have come full circle… I am a Westlake High School graduate. It’s a thrill to be back… it’s a thrill to be home."

Kim Bonvissuto is the Communications Coordinator for Westlake City Schools.