Student films focus on disabilities

Students at Highlander Way Middle School in Howell are preparing to walk the red carpet next week in support of disability awareness. fter a year of creating films related to the topic, the students will participate in the school's annual Academy Awards Night on Wednesday in which they will receive awards for their productions and host a silent auction to benefit Livingston County Special Olympics.

More than 50 films have been nominated for awards. The movies were made by students in the school's technology classes who researched a variety of disabilities, wrote scripts, and shot and edited their work.

"They take a lot away from this," said Carole Colburn, the school's film class teacher and coordinator of the awards event. "They learn about being a part of a team, they learn about their specific topic and they learn about the movie-making process."

She added: "Most importantly, it helps them understand that we're all created equal and brings awareness to what students with disabilities go through."

Throughout the school year, the middle schoolers worked in groups to produce short films on a variety of topics, including autism, depression, Down syndrome, eating disorders and several other conditions. The disability-awareness theme was selected by Colburn, who has taught the school's "Lights, Camera, Screen Education" class to eighth-graders for the past three years.

As part of the course, student Natalie Dunn's group produced a five-minute film on dwarfism. The movie was nominated for an award in the best editing category.

"The main focus of our video is that people with dwarfism are just like us," Dunn said. "We learned a lot, and I guess in more ways than one we are trying to stand up for the little guy."

Dunn's classmate Alyssa Franc worked on a film about diabetes. The production was nominated for an award in the best music and best film categories.

The film includes a variety of students telling what they believe diabetes is while providing information about the condition. The school's choir is also featured in the film.

"I liked working with my group, filming and acting," Franc said. "(The film) really helps to tell everybody that we all have differences but are equal."

She added: "We want everyone to know that disabilities are hard to deal with, and it's not fair to judge people for how they are."

For more information or to attend the Academy Awards Night, contact Colburn atcolburnc@howellschools.com.