School District Hip Hop Documentary Claims Top Honor
Pen is Mightier Than the Sword Documentary Wins Pocono Film Festival Best Student Film Award
The Pen is Mightier Than The Sword, Asbury Park School District documentary took top honors during this weekend’s 15th Annual Pocono Film Festival, held Saturday at the Poconos Mount Airy Casino and Resort in Mount Pocono, Pa.
Founded by Bridget O. Davis, a registered ER nurse, author and founder of the Brown Girl Book Club, the event aims to spotlight up-and-coming indie screenwriters and filmmakers. Among its board members is iconic actor Billy Dee Williams.
“The Pen is Mightier than the Sword Documentary, guest starring Hip Hop Artist Spec. Ed.,” Alan Daniels announced [at right] via social media. “[The film], written and executive produced by Bros. Mike James & Lamont Repollet along with Frazier Prince and Sancha Gray, is the 2017 Pocono Mountains Film Festival Winner of the Best Student Film… Hardhat Nation and the Jersey Shore Sigmas – Perfect Together.”
The documentary spotlights the school district’s Hip-Hop Literacy camp, held over the summer as a part of its STEAM programming.
“Great experience last night at the Pocono Film Festival made even more fantastic by having students, Special Ed Archer , the original Kurtiss Jackson and staff #hardhatnation to share it with,” Assistant Superintendent Sancha Gray said via social media. “Our students are amazing.”
Gray has said the program was created to engage students in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math learning. The experiential learning program also brought in elements of the district’s college and career readiness initiatives.
The participants learned music literacy, writing, communication skills, a tutorial on the history of graffiti art, and met with industry professional Jon Leidersdorff, who founded Lakehouse Music Academy and a Hip Hop Institute in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Monmouth County.
Among the film’s stars are 11-year-olds Kiara Johnson, Nakylah Muhammad and Jaylah Gomez [shown in featured photo], who attended the event.
“What made the learning so fun was that the students didn’t actually equate it with learning,” Gray said following a Wednesday screening at The ShowRoom Cinema. “Just listening to them chuckle now and reminiscing, reinforces – mission accomplished.”
[FeaturepPhoto courtesy of BOE member Barbara Lesinski]
———————————————————————————————
Follow the Asbury Park Sun on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Asbury Park Sun is affiliated with the triCityNews newspaper.
