Cherubs sit in anchor chairs during a field trip.

Lindsay Tuchman's father, Gary Tuchman, stands in front of CNN cameras about three times a week, reporting stories for “Anderson Cooper 360°.”

Standing in front of the Cherub News Network camera, Tuchman, of Alpharetta, Ga., got a first-hand view into what her father experiences.

“This has reinforced my decision,” Tuchman said. “Stepping in front of the camera was nerve racking but energizing. I know I want to do it for the rest of my life.”

Like Tuchman, students at Northwestern University’s National High School Institute experienced broadcast journalism and reporting the news in front of the camera for the first time.

Hillevi Gustafson, of Hörby, Sweden, thought she was destined to be a writer. But the broadcast experience has shifted her perspective.

“I had never done anything with broadcast,” she said. “I got to experience so much multimedia reporting and it opened my eyes. I don’t have to be the traditional reporter.”

Cory Smith, an instructor and broadcast journalist, said he hoped the the broadcast labs would give students a different view on producing and participating in news. Smith also wanted the labs to spark interest for those who are unsure if broadcast is for them.

“I want them to see it from the other side, not just through the television,” Smith said. “It would give them some sense of what the industry is like. I want them to see how it works and how it’s intertwined with newspapers and writing.”

James Bourne, of Los Angeles, said he was not hooked on broadcast until he took the class.

“I was keeping it open as a possibility,” he said. “Hearing about all the multimedia really sparked my interest in the power of visuals. The most valuable thing I’ve gotten out of it is the excitement to do it.”

Gustafson said she now wants to be a television producer.

“I had an epiphany in the broadcast lab,” Gustafson said. “I like to boss people around and I like to push buttons. Everything falls into place and you think, ‘I can do this.’”

Tuchman learned the most about writing aspects of broadcast.

“You have to pick the right stuff to keep the viewers interested,” Tuchman said. “I didn’t think it was going to be as hard as it was to write timed stories and then execute them perfectly on camera.”

Students also experienced the process of shooting live and using video and equipment.

“I like the rush of it all,” Bourne said. “Write the story and a couple hours later you have something watch, rewind and re-watch. You’re really watching a physical product.”

Smith’s advice for young broadcasters was to get lots of experience.

“At the end of the day it’s all learning by doing,” he said. “The thing that’s great about broadcast is they will always need a new face on TV. News will always need a face.”