THE VIDEOS

All video clips are currently housed on the Oakland Unified School District's Urban Dreams site and will appear in a new browser window. They require require Quicktime and are best viewed by those with a DSL connection or higher. If you have a modem connection, expect download times of 6 - 7 minutes. Descriptions of the projects were written by the student filmmakers while developing the concepts for their video projects.

CRNN-Civil Rights News Now || 6 min, 11 sec -> GO!

Filmmaker/Mentor: Chris Boulton ••• Urban Dreams Classroom Teacher: Maryann Wolfe, Social Studies ••• Oakland Technical High School Student Filmmakers: Edward Swanson, Charles Zhou, Austin Zumbro, Dominic DiGiovanni, Nathan Monroe-Yavneh, Alex Park, Kerala Hise, Ricky Bennet, Bau Chau Nguyen

Students from Maryann Wolfe’s U.S. History class visited Washington, D.C. to learn more about how the United States government works, tour Capitol Hill, attend judiciary seminars and meet with government officials. They also visited Colonial Williamsburg, the birthplace of the American Revolution. The opportunity to document contemporary and colonial government “in action,” and compare and contrast civil rights of the past and the present provided a unique learning experience.

Excerpt from the students’ concept paper: Most Americans associate the civil rights movement with Martin Luther King and the march on Washington, but the struggle for civil rights spans the centuries, from the 18th to the 21st. Civil Rights News Now (CRNN) will cover both the contemporary and colonial civil rights issues that continue to shape our nation. CRNN reporters will file reports from the field in order to update the audience on some of the oldest and latest breaking civil rights news. The goal is to create an informed public that has the proper context to evaluate, and perhaps participate in, future movements for civil rights.

Gay Marriage - A Right? Or Wrong? || 11 min 34 sec-> GO!

Filmmaker/Mentor: Colleen Pendergast ••• Urban Dreams Classroom Teacher: Maryann Wolfe, Social Studies ••• Oakland Technical High School Student Filmmakers: Brandon Soublet, Daniel Chan, Wah Chong, Sean Rush, John Brooks-Jung

Seniors in Maryann Wolfe’s American government class were studying civil liberties: the right to life, liberty and property. They discussed issues of free speech, free press, freedom of religion, abortion rights, privacy rights and the freedom to marry whomever you want. Students often have different perspectives on issues being explored in the classroom. Despite these differences, they joined together as a group to investigate the historical context of gay rights and gay marriage.

Excerpt from the students’ concept paper: We feel that the majority of people watching the news don’t get enough information. Most people don’t understand both sides of the gay marriage issue. By presenting interview subjects, a brief history and an in-depth look at all sides, we feel we can better inform the public. Our goal is to clarify presumptions while showing different points of view, not to inspire protests or more gay marriages. We want our audience to continue the dialogue. It is through conversation that information is shared, perspectives are changed and ignorance is often overcome.

The Lost Youth || 11 min 34 sec -> GO!

Filmmaker/Mentor: Ramasses Head ••• Urban Dreams Classroom Teacher: Jan Hunter, English ••• Skyline High School Student Filmmakers: Decoryan Warner, Domonique Navarro, Shauntania Johnson, Gordon Battles III, Holly Mayne, Bethlehem Workeneh

Jan Hunter teaches English and uses drama to engage students in writing. Students brainstormed ideas, conducted research, developed concepts and improved script writing skills. They combined feature film and documentary-style filmmaking while investigating issues of youth violence and teen pregnancy.

Excerpt from the students’ concept paper: The media frequently reports the consequences and the statistics of youth involved with negative activity. What we don’t see are the personal stories of the young people involved. We will dramatize how youth get involved with the negative and how things can go wrong. Our video is about the lack of positive choices for the youth of Oakland and how limited choices contribute to the increase in youth violence and teen pregnancy. We will ask adults about the types of opportunities that were available to them when they were teens. Many of these opportunities are not available today. Our goal is for everyone to understand that there are not enough positive activities for youth and if we don’t provide positive alternatives, youth will be lost.

Where do you go when your community crumbles? || 9 min 23 sec -> GO!

Filmmaker/Mentor: Kenya E. Davis ••• Urban Dreams Classroom Teacher: Mary Maultsby, Social Studies ••• Castlemont High School Student Filmmakers: Brenda Gurdino, Shaunte MaBon, Ladell Waiters

Students in Mary Maultsby’s U.S. history and government classes were learning about social justice issues and compared services provided in their community to services in communities in San Leandro and Livermore, California. They researched and discovered that in neighboring cities, most of the money for services comes from sales tax generated through businesses that don’t exist in many Oakland neighborhoods, such as shopping malls and grocery stores. Their investigations also revealed that politicians respond to districts with a high percentage of voters and where community members are united and committed to change.

Excerpt from the students’ concept paper: Youth need to know the fundamentals of the economy in their society. As they grow older, they are aware of the continuous reduction of community activities, employment and resources. They recognize the significant increase in citywide filth, drug activity and violence. Oakland youth are concerned about the future of their city, but many feel they have no power to make social change. Our goal is to raise youth and community awareness through realistic discussions and offer practical suggestions for citizens to start rebuilding the city of Oakland.