News » Youth In-Focus: Sahuarita!

Just 20 miles south of Tucson, Edge High School Sahuarita has operated for over ten years at the Sahuarita Park. Instructor, Darryl Cornell was interested in creating an activity that would engage students in learning. He had attended classes at Access Tucson and thought that video production could help students with writing and computer skills.

Through the support of Edge High School, the students were able to take the Digital Field Production class. They utilizeded the school’s computer facilities in combination with the Access Tucson production equipment and Media Lab to create their productions.

“The students really liked Larry (Larry Foster, Access Tucson Production Specialist and Instructor) and he did a great job motivating them and keeping them focused. They really got a good sense of the amount of work that goes into even such short films”, Cornell said.

Here’s what students had to say about the process of learning how to make TV:

John Huddleston:
I’m glad that I learned how to use the cameras and the computer editing program. The editing program was more to my interest since that’s really what you need to put a whole film together and have it make sense. Thanks for coming to our school and taking your time to let us use your equipment and also teaching us the best ways to make our video look good.

Philip Cervenka:
I had no idea that making a film involved so much preparation. When you watch a film with a lot of special effects you know that it must take a long time to make, but we started with a very simple idea and it was still quite a bit of work. I especially liked seeing how the editing software could make a story out of all the short bits of film we shot. I see things in movies now that I never thought of before.

Christina Catalan:
I enjoyed learning about the camera and filming the scenes most of all. The idea of writing everything down before filming did not make sense to me until we actually started filming. We made mistakes and with that came some embarrassment. In the end, it was more work than I ever would have thought and I don’t see myself ever really learning the editing part. I just don’t have the patience I don’t think.

Violetta Solorzano:
It was very interesting. I agree with Christina in that my patience may not allow me to ever be any good at this. I liked working with my friends though and I think that Larry did a great job helping us through this. By the time we were through I didn’t want to see the film anymore!

Roman Rascon:
We need more classes like this! It is really nice to have something at the end of the project that you can watch and show others. I liked the filming the most. Access has some really decent equipment and I hope to learn enough to one day be able to do this on my own. If I learn to do it myself I will be able to make a film without worrying about school rules!!!

Thank you so much for providing instruction in our Media Arts class over the past two months. The students here in Sahuarita really looked forward to the lessons and gained a great understanding of what it takes to produce an entertaining film. Some were more inclined to show interest in the camera and sound aspect of filmmaking while others felt more drawn to the computer and editing. Overall the experience was very enlightening for all involved and one which we hope will broaden our students’ interest in filmmaking and in the programs that Access Tucson has to offer.

Thanks again,
Darryl Cornell, Instructor, Edge High School Sahuarita

Watch their program at these times in May:

5/12/07 1:00 pm Sat 74/99
5/16/07 4:00 pm Wed 74/99
5/19/07 1:00 pm Sat 74/99
5/23/07 4:00 pm Wed 74/99
5/26/07 1:00 pm Sat 74/99
5/30/07 4:00 pm Wed 74/99

Students In-Production at Edge High School Sahuarita

Diana Diaz, Monica Cordero

John Huddleston, Roman Rascon, Robert Lopez

Philip Cervenka, Andy Kyees

Christina Catalan, Violeta Solorzano