The Creative Guild: Where Student Voices Come to Life
In the Troy School District, creativity has found a home—and a name: the Creative Guild. What began as a rebrand of the district’s outdated “Cable Crew” has since transformed into a vibrant, student-powered content team creating everything from short films and podcasts to sports blogs and so much more. The group has become a space where students can explore media, tell meaningful stories, and find a sense of purpose.
When Thomas Butcher was first hired as the Creative Content Producer for the district’s communications department, he managed video content for social media and coordinated a small group of student employees. As those original students graduated during the early days of COVID, Thomas hired his first full-time teammate, Cassandra, and began imagining something bigger. “I wanted something I would’ve wanted to be a part of in high school,” he said. And so, the Creative Guild was born.
Now, students don’t just assist—they lead. They produce original content, pitch their own ideas, collaborate across schools, and develop professional skills in a supportive, resource-rich environment. Students join from every high school in the district, each bringing a unique voice, passion, and purpose. The Creative Guild is open to all students in the Troy School District who are interested in creative media, storytelling, and communication.
For Anna Holt, a rising sophomore at Athens, the Guild is where her dream of becoming a filmmaker has started to take shape. “I love trying to use all the components in a film—the shots, music, editing, and the overall cinematography—to make people feel something,” she said. Her favorite project so far was a short documentary about her younger brother’s middle school band. The experience gave her confidence and a sense of comfort in storytelling.
Anna’s next big goal is a short film about body image and mental health. “I want people to know that everyone is beautiful—inside and out,” she said. “When people see my work, I hope it influences them to reflect on themselves and their values, and foster a positive change.”
At Troy High, Meera Iyer has also found her creative spark through the Guild. A podcast she worked on about travel took months to complete, but the payoff was worth it. “It was all about delayed gratification,” she said. “Finishing it and having something I was proud of felt amazing.”
Meera splits her time between podcasting and sports photography and hopes to one day capture the journey of a high school team all the way to a state championship. She also dreams of working on an investigative journalism podcast. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how important it is to tell stories from all perspectives,” she said.
Gargi Mahajan, an incoming sophomore at International Academy East, is newer to the Guild but already knows she’s found a space that fits. “I’m very academically oriented with some creativity sprinkled in,” she said. “Creative Guild will be the perfect place for me to find what I like doing and then do it with a lot of passion.”
Her favorite project so far has been a short promotional reel for Open Air Fest. “I got to talk to a lot of people at my school and involve teachers and students across all grades. It was fun and really represented our whole community.” Gargi hopes to continue telling stories that highlight the diversity and opportunity in Troy Schools. “I want people to feel like they belong and that TSD has something for everyone.”
For senior Taryn Fritzsching at Athens, the Guild has been a launchpad into sports journalism. “I know my future will be in sports,” she said. “The Guild was the perfect way to be hands-on, early on.”
Her favorite work has been a Winter Sports Recap blog that covered every team in the district. “Being able to write about every single sport and then seeing readers react with excitement made me really proud,” she said.
Taryn hopes her content brings humanity and heart to the athletes she covers. “We all come from different places and have different experiences, and I find joy in sharing people's passions and interests.”
Whether it’s Anna’s documentaries, Meera’s thoughtful podcasts, Gargi’s inclusive video work, or Taryn’s storytelling through sports journalism, every student in the Creative Guild brings something valuable to the table.
It’s not just a club. It’s a launchpad.
It’s not just content. It's a connection.
And it’s not just a school experience. It’s the beginning of what’s next.
As Thomas Butcher put it, “I wanted something I would’ve wanted to be a part of in high school.” Turns out, a lot of students do too—and they're making something incredible because of it.
Blog post written by Jayla Turner, Communications Intern.