It was a Friday night lights show at Helman Field; Pennridge’s football team was playing in a thrilling battle. The student section was roaring, the atmosphere was electric, while the team battled hard for victory. All of it was being filmed by Senior Drake Warner, who balances two sports: tennis and golf, films for the school district, and works a full-time job.
Before Drake, the previous videographer for the school, who was the most well-known, was Sawyer Russell, who went by Sawyer’s Media on social media. Sawyer was known for filming videos for Pennridge on Instagram and TikTok. His work was recognized by many and became one of the most well-known influencers in the school district. Sawyer also did work for colleges and got a scholarship at Liberty University; he graduated in 2024. While multiple other people do filming and photography for the school, like KC Media and Carter Thompson, there was one star who was rising above the rest.
Drake is a senior in the class of 2025. His junior year was a big year for him and his reputation in the school. Drake started playing tennis during his junior year. While he struggled at first, he still learned from Coach Altmire and the other coaches. He was able to improve throughout the year and continue into his senior year. He went from winning no matches in tennis in his first year to already winning two midway through the season. This shows dramatic improvement in his play.
What Drake is really known for is his photography and videography. He started as a young and aspiring filmmaker in 2023. He produced his first video showing off the Dublin Carnival. The Video only got a few likes and wasn’t of the greatest quality, but it was a new start for Drake. He had already had some previous experiences, such as taking photos when he was a younger kid. But now, he’s built up an Instagram and TikTok platform with over 7000+ followers.
Students will rave about his work, including individuals from other districts that he’s worked for as well. “For somebody like him who’s so young and already has the skills he has, he is going to do incredible things in the future.” Student Dhaanyal Omar responded when asked about what he thought about Drake, “He’s already like the next Sawyer Russell.”
Drake has done numerous photo shoots for Plymouth Whitemarsh, Souderton, Central Bucks South, and other local schools in the area. While covering multiple sports ranging from football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey, tennis, golf, and soccer. His mix of creativity and precise accuracy creates some well put-together photos. When he creates his videos, he also uses popular songs to create hype videos for the school and the numerous teams he’s worked for.
Drake is also on the Ramble, the high school’s morning show. He’s made numerous appearances as well as working behind the scenes with other school-related items. When the Class of 2025 took their senior photo, Drake was the one who was running the show behind the camera, making sure everybody was in the right place and editing the photo for the school’s yearbook. Drake even did filming for Mini-Thon, an organization in Pennridge that helps raise money for Four Diamonds, helping children with pediatric cancer. Drake attended their events to put the content together and made high-quality videos. He is thought of highly by his teachers and peers all around the school.
Outside of school, Drake also works a job at Tabora Farms, an orchard that serves homemade, tasty sweets. Drake has a kind heart and a great personality and is loved by many. He’s not 100% sure about his future in terms of college. But, no matter where he goes, as long as he sticks to his former Pennridge roots, he will have major success!
