Lights, camera, action! Students from Central Elementary, John Weldon Elementary, Warren Elementary,  Francis Howell Middle School, Hollenbeck Middle School and Francis Howell Central (FHC) High School  recently won the 2011 Show-Me a Movie Digital Storytelling Contest sponsored by Cooperating School District (CSD). All movies and student filmmakers were showcased at the Midwest Education Technology Conference February 14. During the ceremony, cash prizes and goodie bags were awarded to the winners.

Show-Me a Movie is a digital storytelling contest for Missouri students to demonstrate their creativity and digital moviemaking skills. Based on curriculum and with a content focus, the videos showcase what students know, care about, and are able to do. All movies are judged by representatives from Cooperating School District and St. Louis area schools. The judges review content, creativity and videography, as well as the students’ reflections on the movie making process.

Students were required to submit two minutes videos which were to be completed during school hours and that corresponded with one of the following categories:

• Show-Me Your Creativity: Convey a message (informational or persuasive) using music, drawings, digital photos, and/or clay models.
• Show Me Something New: Make an instructional or how-to movie.
• Show Me a Story: Tell a story about someone special, your school, your community.
• Show Me a Challenge: Share local environmental concerns and social issues, which promote awareness and public action.
• Show Me Your Community: Recount an aspect of your community/ethnic culture that is unique, significant, promotes a message, and advances a better understanding of it.

Central Elementary students won the “Show-Me Your Creativity” category with their video Mad Media Goes Medieval, which was submitted by third grade students Ali Zolman, Lanie Sanders and Kira Pedrotti along with fifth grade students Billy Sanders, Faolan Cody and Brianna Crowe. Lanie and Billy took a journey to the Medieval fortress that was being constructed in the Ozarks by workmen using the original tools of the time period. All students completed research about Queens, Knights, Poets and Alchemists of the 1000 year period known as the Medieval period. Students selected a character to represent in the video, wrote scripts for themselves and designed their costumes. Students were then filmed in front of a green screen to showcase castles and knights riding horses.

John Weldon Elementary’s fifth grade Spectra students won the “Show-Me a Challenge” category with their video Drugs? Think Again, which was submitted by Brianna Campbell, Danny Clawson, Jenna Dwornick, Chase Parker, Kevin Phan, Jerod Rose, Marisa Shevey, Jack Stiens and Sara Stiens. Students shared what they learned in the DARE program as they presented information in the context of a student faced with the challenge of whether or not to accept a cigarette from a peer. Students then presented various reasons young people succumb to drug use, and the possible consequences. At the end of the film, the student who was offered a cigarette walks away from his peer.

Warren Elementary’s fifth grade Spectra students Kobi Nolan, Danny Weber, Ben Terrell, Reagan Miller, Carlie Connors, Nicole Fortney, and Ethan Stepanek won the “Show-Me a Story” category with their video D.A.R.E. The Fight Against Drugs. Students developed the idea when local police were in debate of cutting funds for the school-wide D.A.R.E. program. After hearing about this news, students wanted to learn more and express why they thought the program was important for their school. After planning, students conducted research and interviewed a fifth grade teacher, the school principal and the Warren D.A.R.E. officer, Jay Snograss. The final product was a movie about why and how D.A.R.E. has had a great influence at Warren Elementary.

The winning film from Francis Howell Middle School won the “Show-Me a Challenge” category with their video Pushing Through.  Eighth grade students involved were Zoe Epperson, main editor; Derek Reed and Michael Bartner, photography; Grant Morey and Kris Nilsson, acting and writing. Seventh Grade Spectra students entered the contest as well. Students worked with hands on technology in the recording, voice-overs and editing processes were used by both classes, with problem solving that occurred as the process of downloading images and editing happened. Seventh grade student, Maneesh Karnati was the green screen king, as he figured out how to use a green screen with the Apple Mac computer, while Derek and Michael were responsible for filming.

Hollenbeck Middle School students Elle Redel, Madison Oostendorp and Alyssa Jones submitted their winning entry in the “Show-Me a Story” category with their film Show Me the Bullied. The film showcased the impact bullying has on children. Highlighting the consequences for bullying, the film gave a statistic that 500,000 teenagers attempt suicide every year because of bullying. This film displayed a valuable lesson for all children.

FHC students won the Show-Me Your Creativity” category with their video Life of a Stick Figure, which was submitted by seniors Barrett Hanebrink and Drew Grzechowiak, Graphic Design II students who created an animated/stop motion movie project. Barrett and Drew imagined a stick figure's life in their high school. The stick figure began as a baby grew into a teenager and moved throughout the hallways and lockers of FHC. The story makes a full circle of life. Barrett and Drew wrote the storyline, drew the images, took the photos and composed the music. The whole movie was created on an Apple Mac using CS4 Photoshop, LiveType, iMovie, and Garageband. Their movie has a mixture of visual excitement and comedic timing.

Click here for an entire list of students that won in the Show-Me a Movie 2011 Digital Storytelling Contest for Missouri Students.

Visit SchoolTube to see the various winners of the 2011 CSD Show-Me a Movie Contest.

Click here for more information about CSD of Greater St. Louis.