During the 2023-2024 academic school year, Cam Manna was involved on and off campus in multiple ways. Cam participated in the “Art Club” at Beverly J. Martin Elementary School for his group community service. Every Tuesday or Friday depending on the week the group would spend an hour and 30 minutes leading different art projects for the students after their school day. During the winter they helped them create snowflakes and hang them up on the wall and when spring came around they all helped them paint something that reminded them of spring. While this service was about art, Cam also saw it as a place where these students could hang out, have some fun, and learn around people they may soon look up to. Cam also volunteered at the Ithaca Youth Bureau, where he helped coach football, basketball, and baseball for 3rd-5th graders. During the fall it is flag football on Monday Nights at Cass Park where Cam leads drills and works one-on-one with the wide receivers. This is a service that is meaningful to Cam because young coaches had such a strong impact on his childhood, and he looks to give back the same way by being a role model. On campus, Cam is the lead play-by-play broadcaster for Ithaca Football on 91.7 FM WICB and the host of Gridiron Report on ICTV. Cam also calls baseball, basketball, volleyball, and lacrosse for our student-run stations. Last year, Cam became a 2024 STAA All-American for the Jim Nantz Award and took away 1st place honors for “Best Play by Play” at the Broadcast Education Association Awards. Cam has also spent the last three years at Cornell, calling games for ESPN+. While the accolades are exciting and fulfilling, the process is what Cam remembers, along with the great people he meets working on these projects. Teamwork and lessons of patience and hard work are unmatched. Cam truly cherishes every moment working in sports media, because it is a dream come true. From the age of six, this has always been his dream, and every day Cam gets the chance to live it out and grow his skills. Above all, Cam takes pride in inspiring and connecting with the people he meets with his story of being the kid in elementary school who had a stutter and was laughed at about being a broadcaster. Cam hopes his continued efforts will show people that it is okay to take risks and to trust themselves to live out their dreams.
Cameron Manna
