Reel Youth Stories wins SITE Santa Fe’s SPREAD 2.0!

October 28, 2011
The Reel Youth Stories Project, one of eight finalist projects, won SITE Santa Fe’s SPREAD 2.o!

It was incredible to share the stage with seven beautiful and powerful projects! Thank you so much to SITE Santa Fe, SPREAD, and the community who came to the event. As the founder and creative director of Reel Youth Stories, I couldn’t be more honored. Thanks to SPREAD, The Reel Youth Stories Project will have a deep and long-lasting impact on the students we will be working with next semester. Check back often – the students will be documenting the entire process and we will have regular updates!

Reel Youth Stories: The Documentary

Over the course of three months, filmmakers Clare Rok and Jason Jaacks met with thirteen 7th and 8th grade students at De Vargas Middles School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The students learned about media literacy, storytelling and film production. They wrote and produced two films, The Sky Trip and Why I Don’t Smoke. They also helped create this short documentary about their learning process. Through the workshop, students found a venue to come together, discover common ground, learn alongside each other and transform skills and ideas into direct action.

Why I Don’t Smoke

This film was produced by students in the Reel Youth Stories filmmaking workshop. Over the course of three months, filmmakers Clare Rok and Jason Jaacks worked with thirteen 7th and 8th graders at De Vargas Middle School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The students worked hard to research, write and produce two films about social issues they felt are important to their communities. A collaboration between Cordillera Productions, Citizen Schools and the Center for Contemporary Arts, the Reel Youth Stories films premiered at a special community screening at the Center for Contemporary Arts in December, 2010.

The Sky Trip

This film was produced by students in the Reel Youth Stories filmmaking workshop. Over the course of three months, filmmakers Clare Rok and Jason Jaacks worked with thirteen 7th and 8th graders at De Vargas Middle School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The students worked hard to research, write and produce two films about social issues they felt are important to their communities. A collaboration between Cordillera Productions, Citizen Schools and the Center for Contemporary Arts, the Reel Youth Stories films premiered at a special community screening at the Center for Contemporary Arts in December, 2010.

Reel Youth Stories: Why I Don’t Smoke Trailer

Students taking part in REEL YOUTH STORIES have been hard at work this semester. They have created two films about issues they feel important. Here’s the trailer for one of them. You’re cordially invited to a special screening at The CCA on Thursday, December 2nd from 6:30-7:30pm.