Cinematic Diversity | North High School Students Showcase Cultures Through Their Lenses

North High School AVID students welcomed guests to their second annual film festival on May 8. APS administrators, school staff members and honor students were greeted and treated to all the amenities of theater goers – popcorn, candy and bottled water.

The AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program supplements student college careers based on barriers, said Caitlin Bradley, who applied for the grant. 

“Our North students face a number of significant barriers that create an opportunity gap,” Bradley said, “and many will be first-generation college students in their family. “Our idea to celebrate culture and identity through our film festival was inspired by the amazing diversity we have here at North High School.”

Bradley added that some of the students participating in AVID are immigrants or refugees; some of whom face economic hardship.

In her opening remarks she said all the students in the program are amazing and worked hard on the films. She talked about the mission of the national AVID program is to "close the opportunity gap by preparing all students for college and career readiness and success in a global society."

She also shared some good news about the program at North. The AVID program will continue for another year. The GAR Foundation approved an education initiative grant for a third year in a row. 

“This is the end of the second year, so we got it again. That’s another $10,000,” said Bradley, who added that North has been awarded a total of $30,000 to assist with the AVID program.

The grant has allowed North to provide field trips for its students as well as conduct storytelling workshops on campus.

Bradley said the grant money was also used to see live theater performances at Playhouse Square, to attend the Cleveland International Film Festival, to go to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium and to do an overnight college field trip at Ohio University. That trip was open to all grades, not just seniors.

The grant was also used to purchase classroom equipment such as multicultural novels and texts, student journals and pens, color printers, laminators, and materials to grow hydroponic gardens as an AVID class project. 

“The premise of the grant is to allow students to branch out of the classroom through community involvement and a network of support, build confidence, and collaborate with members of our community in order to help them better prepare for their future,” Bradley said. 

Four films were presented. One movie per grade. The basic theme for all the films was culture and identity.

Every AVID student had a role in the filmmaking production. There are 80 students in the program, about 20 students per grade.

The AVID mentors are: Wyatt Daulbaugh (seniors), Caitlin Bradley (juniors), Marie Cottrill (sophomores) and Alex Clark (freshmen). They assisted the students in their productions.

The ninth graders produced a two and a half minute film entitled, Have, Will, Am. Clark said the film was simple, meaningful and easy to create.

“All it took was a microphone, an IPhone camera and some Google editing tools,” Clark said. “We wanted to showcase their current selves, their past experiences and their hopes for the future, especially because North High School is such a unique and special place with so many cultures, races and ethnic backgrounds represented. 

“I wanted to give students the opportunity to share what they wanted to say and they were given the freedom to express themselves openly. The students were also allowed to choose different locations for filming.”

Freshmen shared their thoughts with the audience through the film. They offered personal experiences and observations.

Dazzlynn Fisher, a freshman, 14, was one of the actors in the movie. She said,  “I have two cats.  I am an introvert.  I will never like public speaking.”

Ja’Mari Jenkins, 14, said: I am a student at North, I will be a police officer or athlete. I have Mr. Clark as my teacher.”

Rawn Ghalley, 15, said: “I am Asian, I will succeed in knowledge, I have hands.” He said he had hands because he is pursuing a degree in HVAC.

Haidor Al Jezorey, 15, said: “ I am human. I have my identity.  I will be successful.”

Clark said one of the goals of the film was to revisit the project during their senior year so students can compare who they were then to who they have become.

The sophomore entry: Different Roots One Family ran 27 minutes. Cottrill, who appeared in the film, is the advisor for the sophomores.  

“We might come from different backgrounds. We might have different feelings, but this is who we're going to be,” said Cottrill, finishing her sixth year with AVID. “This year's been wonderful, having them open up to me and just share their stories.

The sophomores filmed the annual food festival and culture fair held at the school where food from the various cultures were made. A fashion show and talent show with songs and dances from the various countries were also represented.  The film talked about the preparation of the events, how well they went, what worked and what they would have done differently.  

Alaizha Fisher, 17, a sophomore, decided to dance in the film. She is Jamaican but did some research and did a dance that represented Indian or Bollywood culture.

Christopher Penaranda and Jimena Lopez-Dominguez cooked for the food festival. He made Papas Rellenos. Jimena made Flan and Mexican fruit cups. They made a video about the experience of passing out their traditional foods. 

The juniors film, Exploring Our Identity, is a 27-minute production.

Students asked people what culture meant to them and how they celebrate holidays in their country. The junior film also showcased some dancing at wedding events.

Bradley said some students encouraged their family members to participate in their film projects. It was a way for the entire community to connect with the AVID program.

Alonda Saidi interviewed his sister and others from the Congo community about the food shared in their culture and filmed it.

“It was a way for the entire community to connect with the AVID program,” Bradley said..

Adida Harris, a junior, said North is one of the most diverse schools in Ohio and this film gave them an opportunity to celebrate culture in the best way. Aziza Makambo, 17, said she really enjoyed the class, especially the workshops. 

Bradley said there are about 29 different cultures represented at North.

The senior film ran 9:09 minutes. Animation opened the senior segment. Ree Ber Htoo did all the animation.  “I love to draw, but it's really just a hobby,” Htoo said. 

His classmates disagreed and said he’s just humble and he should consider art as a profession because he’s always drawing something and he’s really good. “It’s the first time I ever tried animation, my teacher asked me to try it,” he said.”

Daulbaugh said he had confidence in his student.

 “I knew he could do it. Ever since his freshman year, he had been a very gifted artist,” he said. “I thought it would be a medium he would be very good at.”

Alex Chicas, North’s scholar of the year, created a collage of found footage to pay homage to the cultures present at North, as well as his own. The music that played over the collage was his own original song.  He did the lyrics, vocals and score. 

AVID student Manjela Biswa wanted to use a trend she saw on social media for the name signing at the end of the senior film.

“We had to get a clear acrylic board and film the kids signing it,” said Daulbaugh.  “Then we would flip the video in post production so that it would look like they were signing it the right way.”

Dr. Carla Chapman, Chief of Community Relations and Strategic Engagement, was in the audience.  She said she really enjoyed the films and could see the progression of talent as she watched each film.

Students said they enjoyed making the films.

“I learned about so many cultures from all my friends and their families,  it's so amazing,” said Tradarius Grantham, a senior. “I’m mixed, I’m half black and white. I  hope to one day visit Africa and learn more about the culture, African clothing and the language. It would be really nice to learn those things first hand.”

Charles Morrison, who serves as campus principal, said the film festival is yet another platform for all students to experience the school’s rich cultural diversity.

“It just helps them to lean into their culture, and it builds on the whole dynamics of North High School,” Morrison said. “We do have our mentor teachers in our program, so this is actually avid classes.”

“We've gone to the International Film Festival in Cleveland, and it was inspirational,” Bradley said. “:We did an overnight field trip at Ohio University. Already, we have some plans for how we'll continue to develop next year. “

While the grant provides some financial stability, Daulbaugh and his colleague value the long-term relationships they have with the students. They work all four years with the same students to build a collaborative relationship that benefits the entire student body.

“So these kids, some of whom I had as freshmen in world history, and then their AVID teacher decided not to continue on with them, and I begged the principal at the time, can I have that class,” Daulbaugh recalled. “So, I was sent to training, and then I had them.

But Daulbaugh kept his students after they pleaded with the school board.

“It was really, really sweet, but when it happened, I actually accepted another job,” Daulbaugh said. “Then, like, an hour later, Akron called me to come back for this position. I burst into tears and I was blubbering like a baby and I was like, of course, of course.

“The seniors are a special group. I'm so happy that we created a space here for them to feel safe enough to trust us with their stories and with their cultures.”

The mentors all agree AVID’s success depends greatly on the commitment of both teachers and students.

“I know that Mrs. Cottrell and Miss Bradley and Mr. Clark, are all really, really excited to see their kids kind of make that progression,” Daulbaugh added. “Over those four years, we see them grow, but we also help them advocate. We help them through schoolwork, we help them apply to college, and do FAFSA and all of the other growing up things.”

Cottrill, like her colleagues, also shared her culture with the students. She visited Italy last year, an experience that left many of her students to consider a film presentation of trips to their native lands.

That's a great long term goal,” Bradley said.  “We haven't gotten there yet, but that would be really incredible.”

Bradley said sharing your roots is important.

“It's something I'm pretty passionate about,” Bradley said. “This year, I gave them a lot more free reign of, like, what they wanted to show. So I said the theme is exploring culture and identity. 

“We asked them to decide how they wanted to do that. And so for some, it was really important to show something about home. For a lot of them, that is family.”