Over the past couple years, our students were able to utilize the medium of film and video in new and more in depth ways. One of the first film projects was a short film titled “This is where I’m from. This is home to me”, was both filmed and directed by our youth, and went on to be awarded “Outstanding Short Film” at the first ever Jazz and Film Festival in Lawrence. 

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The film was developed by four of our longtime students in 2016; two from North Andover and two from Lawrence.

They began by discussing long time prejudices which have manifested between the two neighboring towns.

 

Uncomfortable, and difficult as this may have been at first, the youth eventually opened up to one another and gradually came to appreciate the contrasts and occasional similarities between the their hometowns.

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Amaryllis Lopez, our Youth Leader, crafted the curriculum which led to the content of the film. Amaryllis also wrote the poem, which gives the production its soul, and directed the film. She is and was our first ever youth leader and the video above is our first ever youth narratives video - made at the end of summer '16.