Big Island Thieves

Waiakea High Students Awarded for Film Excellence – Writing During National STN Media Competition

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Students from 13 Hawai‘i public schools won a total of 36 national media awards — including eight first-place awards — during the 2022 Student Television Network (STN) National Convention that was held over the President’s Day weekend. STN, which aims to support, promote and recognize excellence in scholastic broadcast journalism, filmmaking and multimedia, announced the winners Feb. 21 during a hybrid virtual and in-person ceremony from Long Beach, Calif.

Some 3,000 intermediate and high school students across the U.S. participated in a hybrid convention that culminated with an awards ceremony. Due to COVID travel restrictions, Hawai‘i students from 17 public schools across the state competed via a satellite site at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, which the Hawai‘i State Department of Education (HIDOE) helped sponsor.

Hawai‘i students participated in onsite media competitions in 20 different categories on Saturday and Sunday. The competitions required students, for example, to build an anchor reel and motion graphics, produce a music video, fictional movie trailer, commercial, public service announcement and short film — all under strict deadlines.

“The students and teachers who participated in this rigorous competition definitely represented their schools and our entire state well, and we’re so proud of each of them,” interim Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. “We’re thrilled that our students had an opportunity to share their creativity and digital media skills with their counterparts across the nation. It’s these authentic learning experiences that help develop and build the critical skills needed for our future workforce, in creative media and other high-demand sectors.”

HIDOE schools won 31 awards for work produced during the onsite competitions. Moanalua High School and Maui Waena Intermediate School garnered the most prizes, winning nine awards and six awards, respectively. In separate STN awards for excellence in filmmaking, Moanalua High won four awards and Waiakea High won one award. See full list below.

Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School eighth-grader David Braman and his three teammates took first place in the commercial category. Teams were given the prompt “activewear” and were tasked with producing a product commercial.

“As soon as I heard the ‘Ch’ for Chiefess, it was just, boom,” Braman recalled after the awards ceremony. “We have a great team. We did it and it was awesome.”

After participating in last year’s fully virtual STN conference, Braman said the opportunity to be with other Hawai‘i students this year was invaluable. “Being here, the energy is so much better. This felt like my first real STN,” he said. “Ever since elementary school I’ve been dreaming about doing STN because I have older friends that have gone to the annual competitions. … Getting to bond was amazing. The winning was a nice bonus.”

Donn Yamamoto, a digital media and broadcast media teacher at Waiakea High School, who had five students competing in STN this year, added: “This is probably one of the most authentic learning experiences that our kids can participate in.”

Students also had the opportunity to participate in educational workshops sponsored by PBS Hawai‘i’s HIKI NŌ statewide student news program during the convention.

“Year after year, our HIKI NŌ students have made Hawai`i proud by showcasing their talents on a national stage at the annual STN competition, taking home a disproportionate number awards compared to highly populated states such as California and Texas,” PBS Hawaiʻi President and CEO Ron Mizutani said. “HIDOE did a great service by bringing this national competition to our state, for the very first time, in the form of the Hawai‘i-Hub STN Conference. It is gratifying to see the joy on the faces of these students as they compete.”

The winning schools and categories are listed below:

STN National Convention Awards:

Feature Story (Middle School)

Movie Trailer (Middle School)

Motion Graphics Editing (High School)

Commercial (Middle School)

Commercial (High School)

Tell The Story Editing (High School)

Silent Film (Middle School)

Anchor Team (Middle School)

Short Film (Middle School)

Short Film (High School) 

Public Service Announcement (Middle School)

Public Service Announcement (High School)

Commentary (High School)

Action Sports Editing (High School)

Personal Vlog (Middle School)

Personal Vlog (High School)

Music Video (Middle School)

Music Video (High School)

Vertical Storytelling (High School)

Multimedia Journalist (High School)

Crazy 8s: News Magazine (Middle School)

Crazy 8s: News Magazine (High School)

Crazy 8s: Short Film (Middle School)

Crazy 8s: Short Film (High School)

Excellence Awards:

Film Excellence – Writing
Waiakea High

Film Excellence – Editing
Moanalua High

Film Excellence – Best Cinematography
Moanalua High

Film Excellence – Best Directing
Moanalua High

Film Excellence – Best Live Action Film
Moanalua High

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