For Immediate Release: Monday, May 3, 2021
ROCKVILLE, Md., May 3, 2021— Montgomery County Councilmember Craig Rice will host a film festival featuring the top five videos produced by students who participated in this year’s Councilmember for a Day V.O.I.C.E.S (Virtual Online Innovative & Civically Engaged Storytelling) program. The film festival will be broadcast live on Wednesday, May 5, at 3:30 p.m. on County Cable Montgomery (Comcast channel 6 and Verizon channel 30), Montgomery Community Media (channel 21), and Montgomery Municipal Cable (channel 16). The winner will be announced at the conclusion of the film festival and will join Councilmember Rice as honorary “Councilmember for a Day” at an upcoming Council meeting.
Councilmember Rice, who chairs the Council’s Education and Culture Committee, developed the annual Councilmember for a Day program six years ago as a way for youth to engage in public policy issues and learn about local government. Initially primarily an essay contest, Councilmember Rice partnered this year with Montgomery County Public Schools and Montgomery College to enhance the program by including an eight-week curriculum on digital storytelling. Open to students in eighth through twelfth grades, each participant was provided with an iPad and taught by trained staff on inclusive storytelling through digital journalism. The culminating project was producing a video that focused on a public policy issue important to them.
“I was absolutely amazed by the video entries this year and selecting the winner was a difficult decision,” said Councilmember Rice. “Our students, once again, demonstrated their talent and passion through these videos. While the film festival only features the top five videos, all submissions were impressive in the stories they told and how they were captured on video.”
“The students are an inspiration, and I hope each one understands how their stories help us as elected leaders develop policies and initiatives that respond to the needs in our communities. The stories they told are compelling and speak to what our students are experiencing today. I look forward to the winner sharing their story during our Council session,” said Councilmember Rice.
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