Quitman Elementary students recently stepped in front of the camera for a national video contest, with a group of Quitman High School students working behind the scenes to produce the entry.
The elementary school entered WoodmenLife’s annual “America Is…” video contest, which asks students to create a 30- to 60-second video showing what America means to them.
The contest has two divisions, kindergarten through eighth grade and ninth through 12th grade. Each division offers a $2,500 grand prize, $1,500 for second place and $1,000 for third.
Quitman Elementary Principal Kelli Fortner said 10 students had speaking roles, but much of the campus took part in the project.
“We had 10 students with speaking roles in the video, but many more of our students were able to participate through the classroom and campus scenes featured throughout. The entire campus was featured in one segment. It really became an opportunity to showcase our school and our students as a whole,” said Fortner.
Fortner brought the contest to Emily Strong, administrative assistant to the superintendent and the district’s media and communications specialist. Strong wrote the script and handled the pre-production planning before recruiting high school students to help with the filming.
The high school crew included Wesley Irwin, Jose Maldonado, Eduardo Lopez, Cole Ochoa, Landon Williams and Cannin Wedeking. Students worked on directing, sound, lighting, drone footage and other parts of the production.
Several have already developed an interest in film and video production through other school programs and competitions.
Irwin said Strong asked him to join the project and help recruit other students.
“What excited me was not being the one to start a film project in Quitman and being asked to do what I love, especially with the kids. I had the job of making shots and directing the kids involved. It was a very smooth shoot and everything went according to plan,” Irwin said.
He said Strong’s preparation helped the student crew know what they needed to do when filming began.
“Mrs. Strong wrote the script and she did all of the pre-production planning which is the reason things were so easy for the student crew. I’m so blessed she allowed us this opportunity to capture something special for our school,” Irwin said.
The crew spent about four hours at the elementary school, filming from approximately 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. The video included classroom scenes, interviews, campus footage and drone shots.
Teachers selected the elementary students who received speaking roles.
“We wanted to include a variety of students and give them an opportunity to step outside of their comfort zones and be part of something a little different from their everyday classroom experience,” Fortner said.
Irwin said one of his favorite parts of the project was watching how seriously the younger students took their roles.
“My favorite part was the determination and care all the kids had with the project. The ones that had speaking roles wore red, white and blue and gave it their best. They were all very nice and respectful to everyone working on the project,” Irwin said.
He said the students continued working at their lines until they got the shots they needed.
“When a kid would mess up on a line they learned seconds before they would get frustrated because they cared enough to get it right for the video. After every take the kids tried harder and harder until we got the shot we needed. It amazes me that even at a young age these kids have more determination than I realized,” Irwin said.
Fortner said giving students opportunities outside their normal classroom work can help them build confidence and discover new interests.
“I believe every time we give students an opportunity to experience something outside of the traditional classroom, we broaden their view of what is possible for them. Experiences like this allow them to discover new interests, build confidence, practice communication skills, and sometimes realize they are capable of something they had never considered before,” Fortner said.
Several students had never spoken on camera before.
“They had to learn their parts, speak confidently, work with others, and be willing to try something new. Those experiences may seem small, but they can have a lasting impact on a child’s confidence and willingness to take risks in the future,” Fortner said.
The project also gave the high school students additional hands-on filmmaking experience as interest in film continues to grow at Quitman High School.
Irwin plans to compete in the Texas Thespians film competition before beginning another UIL film project. Other Quitman students are also planning films this school year.
“The next step in my chapter is Texas thespians film competition. To my knowledge, this will be the first year Quitman will be participating in the competition. After that I plan to start working on my UIL film which will hopefully be premiered at the state level again this year,” Irwin said.
Irwin said James Attaway and Ochoa have narrative films planned, and students hope to hold another film premiere at the high school this year.
“We plan to have another premiere at the high school like last year to showcase all of our hard efforts,” Irwin said.
If Quitman Elementary wins the $2,500 grand prize, Fortner said she hopes to spread the benefit across the campus.
“If we are fortunate enough to win, I would love for the prize to benefit both our students and staff. We would use a portion to provide something fun and memorable for our campus, while also investing in classroom supplies to help reduce the out-of-pocket expenses our teachers so often take on. We would also love to use some of the funds to help offset costs associated with student field trips and other experiences that allow our students to learn beyond the walls of the classroom,” Fortner said.
For Fortner, projects like the video are another way schools can help students find their interests and abilities.
“As educators, our job is certainly to teach academics, but I also believe it is our responsibility to open doors for kids and to expose them to experiences that help them discover who they are, what they enjoy, and what they might someday become. That’s one of my favorite parts of what we get to do,” Fortner said.
Entries in the WoodmenLife contest are due Oct. 30. Public voting will be held Nov. 3-7, with winners announced Nov. 13.