30 SEPTEMBER 2017 Arc A d A News By Rachael Bouley Lights, camera, action! It’s the real deal when Arcadia High School students make a movie as part of the Film Department. The program has enjoyed recent high profile success, with some of its students receiving scholarships and having their projects go viral. Much of their success starts with the Film Department, as it gives students the chance to explore the film industry through hands-on, creative opportunities in several elective courses. Students begin as early as their freshman year with a media communications class, and then choose to go into TV Broadcasting for the Arcadia News Network or the film program. Both offer an interactive look at the ever- changing industries of television, news, and movies. Leading the way is teacher Eric Luse, head of the Film Department and resident movie buff. Now in his fourth year at Arcadia, Luse brings his extensive experience to the role, having studied screenwriting and film production at The Film School at Scottsdale Community College. “It was already a very impressive program, and I tried to build upon it in a positive way, using my experience in the film industry and my experience in film school,” he said. “I try my best to make it a good transition point for students between high school and college or the film industry.” Students work diligently year-round to put together quality film projects, many of which come to life on the Harkins big screen at the annual film festival. “A script that they may have written in August is suddenly on the big screen in May, and they’ve worked the entire year to put that into production,” Luse said. “It’s a learning experience for students, to see how you go through all the stages of production and get this film made.” “We get to express ourselves and try new things within the film and journalism industry,” said student Alexa Toneyck. “We learn so much about creative expression and how to produce great material.” The film festival celebrates the entire program, with every student playing an important role in the finished project, from writing the screenplay to casting to acting and much more. “Every student in one of our film classes was given the opportunity and participated in creating that film,” he said. “The reward is seeing it on the big screen in front of an audience- that’s the goal of every film. That’s a huge payoff for students to see their work being enjoyed by other people.” Because every student has different interests and skills, Luse tries to provide a creative platform for them to build upon their ideas and experiment in a team setting. “It is fun when they have an idea that they love and are passionate about,” Luse said. “That’s the payoff for me- seeing them really engaged and passionate about film, as I am. It’s great to share that.” “I’ve learned how to create stories and I want to become a screenwriter now,” said student Heather DeGroote. Luce encourages creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, giving students a fun, interactive learning experience. He even had a student organize an epic “promposal” that quickly went viral this spring, as Arcadia student Jacob Staudenmaier danced and sang along to the opening number from “La La Land” in hopes of scoring a date with actress Emma Stone. “She very respectfully declined,” Luse said. Despite his roster of nearly 100 students and his packed schedule, Luse wouldn’t trade away his job or the chance to help young adults develop the skills they need for success. “I never get tired of my students surprising me with their creativity,” he said. “High school is that time to find something that you’re going to be passionate about. They are hopefully learning workplace skills that they can bring with them into any occupation, even if it’s not film or TV broadcasting.” By Rachael Bouley A special charity project brought big smiles to the staff and recipients at ICM Food and Clothing Bank. While many of their classmates were relaxing on their summer break, the Boys Team Charity Camelback League Class of 2018 was gearing up to complete its senior project. The youth community service group partners with local organizations to lend a hand and make a difference through volunteer projects, at the same time promoting personal growth and stronger family relationships. This summer, the Boys Team Charity Camelback League picked ICM, which serves more than 150 people burdened by low wage jobs and physical and mental disabilities. “We wanted to help these people find hope and dignity, while encouraging self- sufficiency with assistance, such as food and clothing,” said Ann Constantinou, a class manager and organizer for Boys Team Charity. The team set out to complete a much- needed renovation of ICM’s volunteer work room, where all donations are handled and distributed. “Our project goal was to clean, paint, organize, build new shelving, and acquire new tables and baskets used for sorting clothing in an effort to make the volunteer space more efficient,” Constantinou said. Months of planning led up to the renovation project on the weekend of June 10 and 11. It was a team effort as parents pitched in, helping the group find sources for supplies and develop a plan for a more efficient work space. The boys and their parents worked side- by-side to clean the entire volunteer room, paint and sand doors, repair clothing racks, install new shelving and tables, replace storage tubs and donation baskets and much more. “We had a great turnout of boys and parents. The best part was seeing how well everyone worked together to complete our mission,” Constantinou said. “The boys learned the importance of teamwork and compassion. It’s about giving and being, not getting and having.” The team has been learning important lessons through hands-on experiences since 2012, when they joined as seventh graders. Now, most of the group are seniors at Arcadia High or Brophy Prep and they share valuable experience in the power of giving back. One participant, senior Patrick Donnell, learned the value of a long day of working for others. “It was hard work but very rewarding,” said Donnell. “A bunch of us had taken the ACT that morning and we went right from that to ICM. It was a long day but we got a lot done.” Making memories with friends while helping those less fortunate is a win-win. “It was lots of fun, hanging out with my friends, but also we did a lot of hard work in helping out ICM at the same time,” said senior Jacob Staudenmaier. “Seeing the completed project, with the fresh coat of paint on the wall, shiny clean floors and new shelves and storage bins was a great feeling. We were able to get everything done faster than we thought, so when everyone works hard as a team, you can really accomplish a lot.” AHS Film Department brings the movie business to students High schoolers’ volunteer efforts go a long way The Boys Team Charity Camelback League Class of 2018 worked hard to clean and update the volunteer work room at the ICM Food and Clothing Bank during a June weekend. The Arcadia High School Film Department visits Universal Studios.

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