High School Students Become Storytellers On Camera and On Stage During Immersive Summer Camp

Ian Cabral strolls along the sidewalk in the Maxcy Quad at the University of New Haven. Despite the sunny, warm day, he’s wearing a pair of heavy rubber boots as he walks toward a side entrance to Maxcy Hall – and a camera. Behind it, Professor Natalie “Nicki” Chavoya nods. That’s a wrap for this scene.

Cabral, who will begin his senior year at North Kingstown High School in North Kingstown, RI, this fall, was among the students who became storytellers for the week as part of the University’s Film and Theater Academy. Cabral, who says he’s always loved watching and analyzing movies, was excited to have the chance to collaborate with his fellow storytellers to write, produce, shoot, and edit short films.

“I really love camerawork, and I hope to make a career in that,” he said. “I hope this will be a foot in the door.”

‘Their energy and passion are infectious’

Cabral describes with pride and enthusiasm the projects he and his fellow students collaborated on during the program, including public service announcements – his was about surviving the apocalypse – and a short film about a bank heist. The student-filmmakers tried on a variety of roles behind and in front of the camera as they learned about cinematography, directing, producing, and acting. While using state-of-the-art cameras and editing their work with Adobe Premiere Pro, they explored the phases of film production.

Students learned from University faculty who are experienced storytellers. Prof. Chavoya, whose work has been featured on NPR and MTV and includes documentaries and music videos, was excited to share her expertise with the students.

“Their energy and passion are infectious,” she said. “It’s great to see groups of students who are engaged and ready to take creative risks. I hope they developed confidence with the technology and enjoyed collaborating with each other. I hope this opens up for them the possibilities in different careers in film and theater.”

‘I really liked the community’

For Valeria Saldana, film presented an opportunity to approach storytelling in a new way. She worked on a film about a homesick teenager who went away to college and felt lonely. At the end of the piece, the student called her worried mother who had left her several voicemail messages. Saldana says it was her own mother who first discovered the academy at the University, and she’s glad she was a part of it.

“I was so excited to make a film,” said Saldana, who will be a senior at Norwalk High School in Norwalk, Conn., this fall. “I really liked directing and the work behind the camera. I learned about different shots, about editing, and how to use a camera.”

While film was new to Saldana, she is no stranger to the stage. She’s been very involved with theater, particularly in sound design. She was excited to be involved with a live production as part of the program.

“I really liked the community here,” she said. “It was great to meet so many new people, and everyone was so friendly. The professors were amazing. I’m so excited I had this opportunity.”

Margaret Savilonis, Ph.D., an associate professor and coordinator of the University’s theater program, also shared her expertise with students. It’s a program she’d looked forward to being a part of, and she enjoyed connecting with the students.

“I love the Film and Theater Academy because the students learn so much about collaborative processes,” she said. “It's really exciting to watch them become a cohesive creative unit in such a short time. I'm always excited by and proud of the enthusiasm they have for each other's projects, their willingness to take risks and to try new things, and the way they support one another in achieving their goals.”

‘Every day was action-packed’

While exploring theater, students served as performers, designers, directors, and technicians as they brought their production to life. For their final performance for their families and friends, they took to the stage, incorporating the films they’d created into the scenes.

The program, which sold out, is one of the University’s Summer Youth Academies. They offer high school students a chance to explore a variety of careers, from crime scene investigation to health professions.

This summer, for the first time, students attending the academies had the chance to stay in the University’s residence halls. Cabral, the North Kingstown senior, was among them. He says he loved getting a taste of college life in addition to film and theater – and that it was a fun and fitting way to celebrate a milestone.

“Staying on campus was great, since we learned new things and made new friends,” he said. “It gave me a good idea of what college life will be like. There was so much to do, and every day was action-packed. My birthday was also during camp, and this was a gift. It was a wonderful experience.”