Periscope app streams 5th Annual Miami Children’s Health Foundation 5K to viewers worldwide

As the day began, people of all ages gathered in Coral Gables to participate in the 5th Annual Miami Children’s Health Foundation (MCHF) 5K run/walk on Sept. 19.  

The University of Miami School of Communication PREP class was on site before sunrise and ready to work. Lisbet Fernández-Viña, MCHF director of foundation external affairs, assigned the students their tasks and everyone was off to work. Assignments for the team included media check-in, photographer assistants, stage assistants and a team of four to help tell the “story” live through social media.

PREP students assisted the photographers working the MCHF 5K event by photographing participants accepting awards in different categories. Other students had the opportunity to work creating content for a variety of social media platforms, from Twitter and Facebook, to Periscope, a newly launched live streaming interface. Students were allowed to live-stream the event through Periscope from different mile markers during the event. This allowed people throughout the world to join-in and watch the race in real time.

“It was fun to interact with people who joined during the live-stream,” said Erica Strumwasser, PREP student. “Viewers commented that they were tuning in from places like Japan and Brazil, it was a great way to show how excited the runners were to support the Miami Children’s Health Foundation cause.”

PREP students have always felt like a part of the Miami Children’s Health Foundation’s community, having worked several events for them throughout the years. The next MCHF and PREP collaboration is the Foundation’s annual gala, the Diamond Ball on Oct. 10.

“It’s amazing to have the PREP students from UM here,” said Fernández-Viña. “They are doing exceptional work and I wouldn’t be able to do it without them. We have a very small communications team and at every event that we do, for the last couple of years, they are my support, being able to count on them is amazing.”