OTT Apps Case Studies, Athletics Case Studies, Streaming Case Studies
A prestigious Ohio boarding school’s students use live streaming and OTT Apps to connect with their families across over 30 states and 30 countries.
How to meaningfully and regularly connect students with their families in every timezone
As a premier boarding high school in Hudson, Ohio, Western Reserve Academy has a global footprint. Its student body is remarkably diverse, with 20% coming from outside the U.S. and students representing over 30 states nationwide.
Committed to both academic excellence and personal growth, the Academy continuously seeks out transformational experiences that enrich student life. One standout example is their Wong Innovation Center — an 8,000-square-foot facility where students explore modern innovation through hands-on experiences with 3D printing, welding, AI and machine learning, advanced engineering, and entrepreneurship.
When Matthew Gerber was asked to help strengthen the school’s sense of community — especially for parents and relatives abroad — he turned to live video streaming and OTT apps to bridge the distance.
“I used to take a video camera and record our events locally,” Matt explained, “but I wanted a way to get what we were doing out.”
Empowering high school students to launch a global live streaming experience
From day one, Matthew involved his students in setting up BoxCast’s live streaming and OTT solutions. True to Western Reserve Academy’s mission of hands-on learning, students weren’t just users — they were builders, gaining real-world experience with professional-grade technology.
“My students and I followed the video documentation point by point, and within two days we were broadcasting like professionals,” Matt shared.
When BoxCast launched their OTT apps product, Matt brought that, too, into the student experience.
“With our OTT App, we’re able to put all of our games and events in one accessible spot for viewing.”
Western Reserve Academy is a premier independent boarding and day school serving grades 9–12, known for its rigorous academics, tight-knit community, and strong commitment to character development. Founded in 1826, the school blends tradition with innovation, preparing students from around the world for success in college and beyond.
Hudson, OH
440 Students
1826
Daily live and on-demand streaming ensures staff, students, and parents can engage with events and content just as they would in person
16 Different Sports Regularly Streamed | 3 OTT Apps
“We use it multiple times a week for multiple hours. For what we’re paying, we get tremendous value out of it. It’s indispensable to what we are and what we do.” –Matthew Gerber
What started with a single girls soccer broadcast quickly expanded into the full-fledged Reserve Sports Network, a student-run initiative that now covers nearly every sport on campus. Following BoxCast’s how-to videos, students learned to set up their own commentary headsets — adding live announcers and elevating the quality of each production.
Over time, BoxCast became the backbone of the school’s broader live streaming strategy. Today, it powers everything from daily chapel and morning meetings to dance and music performances, visiting artist talks, graduation, their annual holiday vespers service, and parent-only meetings.
“It provides more than just streaming for us,” Matt explained. “It gives us really actionable insight with advanced analytics — who’s joining, where they’re joining from, what parent engagement looks like. It’s really exciting to see 20 or 30 different countries light up for our events.”
"I think BoxCast is invested in our success, not only their own. In this day and age, parents expect events to be streamed, and BoxCast is the perfect partner for our school."
Matt Gerber
Chief Innovation Officer
Western Reserve Academy
Empowering Students to Learn + Use Cutting Edge Technology
BoxCast gave Western Reserve Academy not only a reliable streaming solution, but a way to deliver real-world experience to students. From setup to production to live commentary, students took ownership of the school’s live streaming operation, making the platform a hands-on learning opportunity that aligned perfectly with the school’s educational mission.
A Digital Bridge Between Campus and Families
For a boarding school with a truly global community, BoxCast became more than just a tool, it became a bridge. With parents watching from over 30 countries and 30 states, BoxCast helped WRA foster transparency, connection, and engagement, turning campus events into moments families everywhere could share in.
