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Cesar Chavez Middle showcases Youth Cinema Project; students selected for Latino film festival
Summary
Cesar Chavez Middle School presented its Youth Cinema Project to the New Haven Unified school board, describing a twice‑weekly after‑school program that pairs general‑education students with ELD and special‑education peers to produce PSAs and a web series; four students were invited to attend the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival in late May.
Ramon Camacho, principal of Cesar Chavez Middle School, told the New Haven Unified school board that the Youth Cinema Project meets twice a week after school and pairs mentors with students to produce public service announcements and a student web series. "Today, we're gonna be highlighting our after school program, Youth Cinema Project," Camacho said.
Counselor Gary Cruz said the program brings general‑education, ELD and IEP students together to collaborate on ideas, scripts and production. "They interact and come together as a team to, generate creative ideas and produce amazing public service announcements and web series," Cruz said, and noted the class votes on top ideas before the teams produce them.
Several student presenters described roles they took in production, from directing to editing. One student who has moved from editor to director said the program improved their writing and leadership skills, while another said the project helped strengthen listening and speaking abilities. Camacho said four students from the program had been selected to present at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival and were invited to attend the event in late May.
The presentation emphasized social‑emotional and academic benefits: students practice collaboration, public speaking and technical skills that staff say reinforce classroom learning. Camacho also referenced district assessment reviews during the same presentation to place the program in the context of broader academic goals.
The school board heard the students’ work and trustees thanked site staff for putting together the presentation. No board action was taken; the presentation concluded with a call to continue supporting expanded‑learning opportunities that align with district strategic goals.
