Journal 6

"Filming Compassion"

By Janet Bremer and Marilyn Clark

Many public and private schools have added a service learning component to their high school curriculum which has paved the way for kids to go outside of their school and participate in the community. One school in particular, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy High School, has implemented the requirement of 120 hours of service that they can complete through after school projects, individual involvement outside of school, or through many different classes where their teacher has incorporated different projects within the community. Janet Bremer and Marilyn Clark have done just this. Within their video production class, they have created an assignment that requires their students to create an informational video for a nonprofit organization. Students are responsible for meeting with the directors, finding out the needs of the organization, and then coming back to school and developing a plan. They must also take on the responsibilities of caring for the video equipment required to make the film. Most of the organizations do not provide such materials so the students must be held accountable. Since the organizations have limitations in their budgets, the feedback from these videos has been extremely receptive. Some organizations have been able to use the videos as training materials, while other use them to illustrate a typical day in their facility. Besides the experience of going into the public, students are also required to get feedback from their peers, parents, and other teachers as to what they can do to make their film better. This project gives great insight of the day to day workings of these organizations and allows the students to give back to their communities.

Could this project be valuable in every High School?

I really think that this is a valuable experience that could last a lifetime for students. I think that it is so important to prepare our kids how to behave in adult society and a project like this demands all responsibility on them. The must learn to be sensitive to the environment they are set in, communication with those unlike themselves, responsibility of materials , and carrying through a well though out plan.

Is length and involvement a factor?

I think that if you were to take on this project in math, science, history, etc. class, you could make it an all year project. I think that you could find time in the day to do a little of it at a time and then have the whole thing due at the end of the year. This would also require time management that could only benefit the students.