As the face of Buford High School’s weekly news show, “Triple A Today (AAA Today),” Wesley Culbertson is building a strong foundation for a future in the film industry. During his freshman year, Nick Beshiri, the Audio, Video, Technology and Film (AVTF) teacher, gave Culbertson the opportunity to create a segment for the show and the rest, as they say, is history.
“Over the past four years, I have created a variety of segments, including ‘Buford Business Bugle,’ ‘Let’s Fry It’ and advertisements for major community events like the Cookies and Cocoa 5K. I’ve also produced commercials for clubs such as Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honors Society) and hype videos for football and basketball,” Culbertson said. “My work on ‘Triple A Today’ has played a key role in shaping me as a video maker, providing an outlet to express my creativity in a multitude of ways.”
The ‘Buford Business Bugle’ featured Culbertson’s interviews with local business owners about their industries and businesses, as well as information on career opportunities for interested students.
“That opportunity opened doors to an incredible world of experiences, including working with head producers at Georgia Public Broadcasting, making commercials for car dealerships and Zaxby’s, operating the jumbotrons at BHS baseball and softball games, winning film competitions, creating videos for Buford City Schools and the Board of Education, as well as taking on numerous freelance video projects across Georgia,” Culbertson said.
In addition to his video-making skills, Culbertson has racked up a multitude of awards for his leadership and participation in SkillsUSA, an organization that works to equip students with the skills they need to enter the workforce as professionals and career-ready leaders. After joining SkillsUSA during his sophomore year, he was elected treasurer. He later became president of the club during his junior and senior years.
Since joining SkillsUSA, Culbertson has won several regional and state championships, including a first place win in Vlog (2023), Promotional Video (2024 and 2025) and Extemporaneous Speaking (2025) at the state level. His win this year in Extemporaneous Speaking qualifies him to represent the state of Georgia at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta this June.
Culbertson credits much of his success in SkillsUSA to his favorite teacher, Mr. Beshiri.
“He’s my favorite for many reasons, but the main one is that he took a big chance on me during my freshman year with the ‘Buford Business Bugle’,” Culbertson said. “Beyond that, Mr. Beshiri is one of the hardest working and most knowledgeable teachers I know. He encourages students to experiment, grow, and build confidence in video production, guiding them along the way until they find success.”
Beshiri also spoke highly of Culbertson and his contributions to Buford.
“Wesley is probably one of the most focused and talented students I have ever had. Since he was a freshman, he has been contributing to the video program and is always looking for ways to make it better,” Beshiri said. “He has definitely pushed me to become a better teacher in many different ways, and the SkillsUSA chapter at BHS would not be where it is without his influence. He is definitely going to be missed when he graduates this year.”
Culbertson boasts a 3.8 GPA and has lettered in academics for three years. He’s completed five Advanced Placement courses alongside participating in chorus and the Buford Leadership Team, Debate Club and Quizbowl. His talents also landed him gigs like running the Jumbotrons for the varsity baseball and softball teams and sideline/box filming for the football team.
Outside of school, Culbertson enjoys hanging out with friends, listening to music, making videos and watching movies. He also has a love for oldies music.
“I have a strong knowledge of, and love for, ‘50s (to) ’80s music that I don’t think many colleagues my age share,” Culbertson said. “I especially love bands/artists like Steely Dan, Rush, Talking Heads, The Rolling Stones, Ray Charles and The Platters.”
As a Buford “lifetimer” who has attended BCS since kindergarten, Culbertson hopes to finish his high school career strong and do as much as he can between now and May. Upon graduation, he plans to get his college degree in film production and hopes to be remembered as an active and impactful part of the school community.
“If you come across an opportunity that even slightly interests you, take it,” Culbertson advised underclassmen. “The worst that can happen is you decide it’s not for you, but you’ll never know unless you try.”
