Athens Film Students Win 2nd Place in C-SPAN Competition

Athens film students and Creative Guild members Brianna Johnson & Katie Schmidt (both class of 2024) received accolades and a check for $1,500 for their 2nd place entry in this year’s C-Span StudentCam student documentary competition. Their submission— “Loved to Death”—was about the impact of overcrowding in our national parks and park resources. Their documentary was up against nearly 3,000 student submissions representing 40 states, Washington, DC, Kenya, and the UAE.

What is the C-Span award? Students were asked to create a 5-6 minute long video imagining they were a newly-elected member of Congress and sharing the issue that would be their first priority to address and why. After multiple rounds of judging and deliberation, Brianna & Katie’s production rose to the top of the ranks.

“Loved to Death” is just over 5 minutes long, containing interviews with pertinent personalities and fully exploring the over-use of our National Parks. COVID-19 changed the landscape and usage of our parks, especially as the pandemic made outdoor parks more popular. But what is the balance between popularity & preservation? And how can we be proactive and innovative with limited resources, not constantly trying to keep up? The Great American Outdoor Act provided funds for maintenance backlog for repairs. But that is only a first step. We need to prioritize national parks and fully fund them.

C-SPAN acknowledges that creating a short documentary is no small task and recognizes that every participant spent weeks or even months researching, storyboarding, scripting, conducting interviews and editing their work. From their press release: “Each and every participant should be proud of the effort required to complete a project of this scope.”

Athens Broadcasting and Film teacher Adam Burns was proud of his students’ accomplishment, saying, “Brianna and Katie’s project has had much success beyond this competition, and I think that is as much about their passion for this topic as it is about the quality of their documentary. I'm hoping they've inspired their peers to enter next year.” Troy Schools Superintendent Dr. Rich Machesky also expressed his pride and appreciation for these two students and their work: “We believe strongly in deep learning, encouraging students to connect their learning with the world. This award is a great example of using student voice to bring attention to the importance of balancing enjoyment also caring for our national parks in Michigan and across the country. Thank you, Brianna and Katie, for sharing your passion and lending your voice to this important topic.”

Their video can be viewed at https://studentcam.org/2023-2ndPrize-TroyAthensHighSchool0411.htm

For more information about the contest, visit https://www.studentcam.org/

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Photos courtesy of the Troy School District:

Girls w Adam: L to R: Katie Schmidt, Brianna Johnson, film teacher Adam Burns

Girls w VIPs: L to R: TSD Superintendent Dr. Rich Machesky, Troy Mayor Ethan Baker, Athens Principal Audra Melton, Katie Schmidt, Brianna Johnson, Adam Burns, TSD School Board Trustee Vital Anne, Constituent Relations Rep for Congresswoman Haley Stevens Michael Tash, TSD School Board President Karl Schmidt, Comcast Representative Eric Woody.