World Citizens
This is the second in our series of short films to help create a new school in one of Richmond’s poorest East End neighborhoods.
About 85% of the children at Chimborazo Elementary qualify for reduced or free lunch. But, that low income statistic of doesn’t keep them from being bright students who are eager to learn.
Their parents and teacher want these children to have the best education possible. With the help of generous donors and dedicated volunteers, the International Baccalaureate curriculum is coming to their school.
“Invest in IB” is the title of Vero Media’s newest short film for the Chimborazo Elementary Model School Task Force. “IB” stands for the International Baccalaureate Programme.
The IB foundation’s website describes it as a curriculum that develops the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world.
With a description like that, who wouldn’t want their child to experience an IB education? That desire is what’s motivating parents and volunteers to raise the nearly half a million dollars needed to bring the IB curriculum to children in grades K-5 in Richmond’s public schools.
We were intrigued by the cooperative effort behind this effort: parents and volunteers, teachers and administrators, the community and financial supporters all working together to make this school happen.
As members of the Church Hill community, we wanted to help too. Creating a short film, or two, about the school and the IB program would help raise awareness and engage the community of potential volunteers and financial donors.
We spent two days at Chimborazo School, interviewing teachers and students and filming the general going-ons at the school. Our VCU intern and young film maker, Graham Ohmer, shot most of the footage and did a tremendous job of following around the students.
During the editing process, we were struck by the passion the teachers and principal Burke exhibited, not only for their school, but the IB approach to education. Our hope is that their vision and commitment ring clear in the this film.
Graham Ohmer, our VCU film intern for the summer, shares much of the credits in producing this film. Most of the footage and did much of the initial prep work for the editing.
This is the second in a series of videos with author and social activist R. Satiafa. We followed her to Virginia State University where she was a guest lecturer for a class on multicultural counseling.
In this video, she discusses the challenges of African American youth who have lost their “maturation fields”. Satiafa explains and how this social phenomenon is often replaced by prison culture. She goes on to explore how society might reassess it’s attitudes toward men and women upon their release from prison, and by doing so, create a more positive environment for re-entry.
Satiafa is working on her second novel, a sequel to Love Locked Down, as she continues counseling families, advocating for prisoners education programs and post-release reform in the US.
Love Locked Down, a novel by R. Satiafa, tells the stories of women in relationships with incarcerated men. In this short interview, Satiafa tells us how the book helps women and men cope with the limitations that prison puts on family relationships and romantic ties.
We’re exploring and celebrating the work of small businesses in Richmond, VA. Maria Onsel is the inspiring entrepreneur behind Hispania Bakery. Get a behind the scenes look at her commercial kitchen as she creates one of her signature sweets: Mini Guava Cheesecakes. Filmed on location in Scott’s Addition and the South-of-James Market, Richmond, Virginia.
A whole lot of learning going on! Friday March 17, 2012, Vero Media (with assistance from Church Hill Studio, LLC,) was asked to create imagery for the Bellevue Elementary school website.
Elaine Odell along with VCU Film School undergrad, Graham Ohmer, spend the day at Bellevue. Thankfully, PTA President, Doug Brown, was with us every step of the way.
The kids were amazing. Well behaved, focused and curious. And the teachers were all kind, patient and truly enthusiastic about their students. Here are just a handful of the amazing images we captured that day. We proudly delivered over 100 still images to the PTA last week. Look for them soon on the Bellevue School website soon.
This shoot is the first phase of an ongoing project with Bellevue Elementary and Richmond Public Schools as Vero Media continues to explore education in our inner-city schools.
Jefferson Park is a beautiful urban park that has enjoyed a renaissance in the past decade. This year, residents got a surprise Christmas present from the City of Richmond’s Dept. of Recreation and Parks: a new swing set. On New Years Day 2012, local resident and business owner, Elaine Odell, captured footage and audio of kids and adults enjoying the warm weather, skyline view, and the new swings. Produced by Vero Media in association with Church Hill Studio, LLC. Copyright 2012, all rights reserved.
Board Meeting
We just finished Vero Media’s first board meeting! In attendance, Hassan Pitts, Elaine Odell and John Gerner. Agenda included current and future projects, finances and our pending application for 501c3 Non-Profit Status with the Internal Revenue Service.
The documentary Passion for a Place: Church Hill and Richmond’s East End, is our lengthiest production to date. We produced this in the summer of 2010 when our community was engaged in a planning process with the City of Richmond, Bon Secours Heath System and renowned city planners from the school of “new urbanism”.
Produced in 2011 for the City Of Richmond, this video seeks to engage citizens in the development of a Sustainability Plan for Virginia’s Capitol.
