IN Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall Summer 2019 | Page 75

Hunter Donovan is a student on a mission with a passion for Broadcast Media.
He is working hard and demonstrating initiative in seeking out local resources
to help propel him toward his goal of a successful career in broadcast media. As
a student at Brentwood High School, he enrolled in the district’s art, yearbook,
newspaper, and video production classes but he knew wanted to learn more.
A friend told him about an organization called the Steeltown Entertainment
Project and Hunter looked further into the group based in the South Side of
Pittsburgh. Steeltown Entertainment supports film and digital media arts in
Pittsburgh. Their mission is to bridge art and industry with a pathway from
education to employment. According to the company’s website, they develop
diverse content creators with training, mentoring, equipment and networking
opportunities.
Hunter had to apply to be a part of the organization. He interviewed, was
accepted, and he has worked with the company for the past year and a half on a
three day a week basis. Hunter states that what he likes most about the program
is the social environment and developing friendships with like-minded creative
people. There are other students in the program who come from several other local
school districts who are interested in media and entertainment-related careers.
Steeltown Film Academy draws on its partnership with teaching artists and
professional mentors to teach a curriculum of the basics of digital media arts –
what they refer to as SCALE: storytelling, camera, audio, lighting, and editing. The
curriculum is more than 100 hours of hands-on and collaborative learning and uses
the latest digital media technology. Each class produces their own short film by the end of the session.
Upon successful completion of a Steeltown Film Academy, students can apply to the Steeltown Teen Film Crew. The Teen
Film Crew gets paid while they continue to build their skills creating promotional videos for clients. The teaching artists work
with the students as a team – just as they would in a professional agency. The Teen Film Crew can be hired by clients in the
Pittsburgh community who are looking to get a message out to the public.
Hunter is also involved with Reel Teens: Pittsburgh. The Reel Teens: Pittsburgh is a web series created by high school students
with a passion for film and digital media arts. Students are from different schools, different neighborhoods—showing you
Pittsburgh through their eyes. The Reel Teens were recognized at the Elly Awards which honor filmmakers in Pittsburgh. Several
of the Steeltown Entertainment videos can be viewed on YouTube.
At the age of 17, Hunter is fast on his way to achieving his career goals. He plans to attend a post secondary program to
further hone his craft. He is busy taking SATs and completing college applications, but he has may great experiences and
professionally developed projects to reflect in his resume and professional portfolio.
CALLING ALL SUPERHEROES
In honor of Autism Awareness month, Easterseals hosted a
SUPERHERO PARADE. The day was designed to celebrate special
needs students, their parents, and the teachers who work with
these special youngsters. Easterseals operates three area schools
in the north, south and east communities of Pittsburgh and
specialize in providing Early Intervention support to children ages
3 to 8. They provide educational services to students diagnosed
with Autism and Multiple Disabilities. Each young child’s program
is individualized and tailored to each child’s specific needs. For
information on how Easterseals can make a difference in a child’s
life, contact Laurie Chiodo, Education Specialist, at 412-281-7244
ext 1287.
Autism Awareness month was started by the National Autism
Society in 1970. Their goal was, and is still today, to bring about
a better understanding of autism which impacts 1 out of every
59 children in the United States. Autism has steadily grown over
the last twenty years and is the fastest growing developmental
disorder. There is currently no cure for autism, but through
treatment, symptoms related to autism can greatly improve and
in some cases be completely overcome, but early intervention is
the strongest factor.
BRENTWOOD-BALDWIN-WHITEHALL
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SUMMER 2019
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