By MICHELLE BEAHM
mbeahm@northkitsapherald.com
POULSBO — When thinking of ways to share the work the North Kitsap Schools Foundation helps fund, Shannon Singleton thought a video showcasing the projects would be a good idea.
And who better to produce the video than two students the foundation helps support?
“This is the first time we’ve had a video,” Singleton said, “and this is the first time we’ve ever had students who we are serving help us out.
“That feels really, really good.”
Singleton, the foundation secretary, got in touch with Kingston High School’s video production teacher Bob Geballe, who recommended juniors Adam Wright and Tanner Draper to produce the video.
Geballe said, “Adam’s been a student for a couple of years, and he’s shown a lot of competence and ability in the class, and he’s ambitious.
“Tanner’s a first-year student, so I’m a little less knowledgable about what he’s made of, but he also seems to be able to handle the aesthetics and the responsibility.”
Wright and Draper, who have worked on video production projects together in the past, started visiting different schools in the district on March 4 to get a variety of projects on film. The goal is to showcase where the foundation’s grant money is going and how it’s being used. Expected to be completed in mid-April, Singleton said the video will be shared on the foundation website and sent to district families, donors and sponsors.
“It’s just a great opportunity for them,” Geballe said. “It’s something where they have to approach in a professional enterprise, and since it’s a Career and Technical Education class, that’s very much what we want to convey to our students.
“It’s not just knowing how to make a video, but how to interact professionally.”
They won’t be filming the result of every grant the foundation gave during the 2014-15 school year. Singleton said the video will include footage of sixth-graders at Poulsbo Middle School putting together robots, the result of a grant funded by the Rotary Club, the Lions Club and the Kiwanis Club, in partnership with the foundation. It will also showcase a grant given to Pearson Elementary for music students to build their own ukuleles out of cigar boxes, according to Singleton. Also showcased will be the districtwide Rolling Readers project.
“We want to get the word out about what the foundation is doing,” Singleton said. “And also the work that’s going on by the teachers and schools in the district. I have really high hopes for this video.”
Draper’s job during the production is in front of the camera, interviewing people. Wright works behind the camera, shooting the video and editing.
To both students, producing videos is more than just class credit.
“My passion is video,” Wright said, “so why not try to make more money for my school and help support the school?”
Draper said, “Shooting videos and editing them and all that, it’s fun.”
He added, “It’s enjoyable. It’s kind of like a hobby more than a class assignment.”
Draper feels the video he and Wright are making is important.
“It’s going to give visual representation to donators and people who fund this, of what their money’s doing,” Draper said. “Seeing these kids using it hands-on may inspire them to continue to donate or donate more and spread the word.
“It’s just going to be better for the organization to show people what their money’s doing, how it’s helping.”
Wright said more projects like this one should be done in the future.
“Why would you not want to do something that’s going to help you and other people?” he said. “I definitely think this should be done more.”
Above, Adam Wright films two sixth-grade students unpacking a robotics kit, funded by the North Kitsap Schools Foundation grants. Below, Tanner Draper interviews David DiPrete, the science teacher who received the robotics grant. Wright and Draper, Kingston High School students, are working together to produce a video about the foundation grants given to members of the school district. Michelle Beahm/North Kitsap Herald
