Hello! My name is Harper Ferraro and I won a Silver award for Special Topic Coverage in the Empire State School Press Association (ESSPA) Conference at Syracuse’s Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Throughout my time at Saugerties High School, I have taken many of the Computer Video Production courses. To continue my studies within the program, I chose to do an independent study for my senior year. Within the CVP classes, I have learned how to write scripts, direct, edit, and work with other people to make projects.

The project that I submitted to the ESSPA conference was not initially intended for consideration of an award. After the lockdown at the school last year, I was inspired to make a documentary-style video to highlight student experiences. When I finished filming and began editing, I learned how important the arrangement and order of videos in a documentary is for the impact of the story. Using my knowledge of the editing software, Adobe Premiere Pro, I implemented visual and audio effects that added layers of depth to my project. After completion, I submitted my video, “Statistically Speaking”, to my teacher Ms. Hayes. In response, she presented the opportunity to submit it for consideration in the Special Topic Coverage category, which I eagerly agreed to.

I continuously checked the ESSPA website for new updates on the 2024 Winners. When they were available, I scrolled until I reached the Special Topic Coverage category, where I found my submission with a Silver award next to it. This was a very rewarding and exciting experience for me because it was the first time my work had been recognized outside of the school district.

I want to give a huge thank you to my classmates who participated in the video, to Ms. Hayes for presenting me with the opportunity, and to both Ms. Hayes and Mr. Wickham for providing me with the foundation in the CVP Program to find my passion. Film is my past, my present, and most definitely my future.