Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Oyster Bay students turn seniors' oral histories into short films
Summary
Students in Oyster Bay High School's broadcasting and digital reporting classes partnered with the Life Enrichment Center to produce four mini biographical films that preserve seniors' stories and give students hands-on journalism experience.
Superintendent Dr. Yanni introduced a new intergenerational project in which Oyster Bay High School students partnered with members of the Life Enrichment Center to produce short biographical news packages.
"It preserves the past and it connects generations," said Miss Geopak, who coordinated the project, describing how students learned interviewing, on-camera technique, transcription, scripting and editing while the seniors shared personal histories. The films were screened in the high school auditorium for Life Enrichment Center members and students.
Students and seniors described the project as meaningful. Ninety-two-year-old Inge Amien recalled her wartime childhood: "I grew up during the war," she said, adding context about life in Germany after World War II. A student participant, Cameron Ramirez of Bay News Now, said the films were educational: "I really liked listening to him. He was a very interesting man. I learned a lot from him."
The project featured four Life Enrichment Center members, produced multiple short films and will be available to view on the district's website. Board members asked that the Silver Threads anthology be distributed to district libraries and presenters affirmed plans to make materials available to the community.
Why it matters: The effort links curriculum to community engagement, giving students practical media skills and preserving local oral histories for public access.
