June 11, 2018
EDCAL 5
High school students honored in statewide video contest
Teams of high school students have
been selected as winners of the 2018 Stu-
dent Voices Campaign, which provides a
creative way for students in grades 7-12 to
impact school policymaking and make their
voices heard.
Student videos responded to the ques-
tion: “Why do the arts matter?”
Students submitted more than 50
videos, and 14 finalists from schools
throughout California were selected by a
panel of judges. Videos were evaluated on
the persuasiveness of the message, technical
components of the video and the creative
approach. Winners were invited to accept
an award at a video screening and awards
ceremony held in Oakland.
Students from Livermore High School
submitted the video “The Audience.”
Created by a team of students in grades
9-12, the students write: “School Arts
Programs play a crucial role in the develop-
ment of adolescents. Without the Arts, our
school would lack creativity and original-
ity. Our programs allow a creative outlet
for many students. In order to maintain
these programs, our departments require a
significant amount of funding. With this
funding, our school is able to purchase
supplies that are crucial to the success of
our programs.”
“We are living at a time when most
public discourse takes place online through
digital media, so it’s important that stu-
dents learn to be discerning, articulate and
strategic with these tools – and to see how
they can be a force for good,” said Cali-
fornia Alliance for Arts Education Senior
Director of Advocacy and Communications
Sibyl O’Malley.
In California, students are guaranteed a
voice in planning and budgeting for their
school through the Local Control Fund-
ing Formula, which requires that districts
consult with students, parents, teachers, and
other community members to create the
district plan.
Videos from the campaign have acti-
vated concrete change at several California
school districts, such as increased access to
art classes, gender neutral bathrooms and
the adoption of the Declaration of Students
Right to Equity in Arts Learning.
The top winning videos were:
First Place: “Lost Connection” – Argo-
naut High School; “The Audience” – Liver-
more Valley Joint Unified School District.
Second Place: “Why We Make Art” –
Windsor High School.
Third Place: “The Silence of Color”
– Arcata High School; “Art Lives On” –
Amador High School.
The 2018 Student Voices Screening took
place at the Arts Now Bay Area Summit, a
full day arts education conference including
a student-led plenary session, advocacy
workshops and interactive tours of the
Oakland Museum of California.
The event is presented by the Califor-
nia Alliance for Arts Education, Alameda
County Office of Education, California
County Superintendents Educational
Services Association, San Francisco Unified
School District, Oakland Museum of Cali-
fornia, and California State PTA.
CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS
ACSA Every Child Counts Symposium
February 13-15, 2019 | Anaheim Marriott Hotel
We would like to invite our members to present at this year’s Every
Child Counts Symposium. These sessions should encourage
participation, sharing and networking between the presenters
and attendees. We are looking for informative and energetic
presentations that highlight successful practices in one of the
following categories:
Diversity/Equity/Disproportionality | Inclusion
Leadership Practices/Special Education
|Legal Topics | Low Incidence | Performance
Indicators Restorative Justice | Trauma
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS JUNE 29, 2018.
SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL TODAY: www.acsa.org/ecc