2011 Youth Media Awards
The WHYY Youth Media Awards honors the best media produced by youth in grades 6-12 in the Philadelphia region. The 2011 YMA honored work produced between August 1, 2011 and July 31, 2011. This year, our first year organizing the Awards, we received over 150 entries competing in two divisions; High School and Middle School; and three categories in each division, Narrative, Documentary/News, and Open.
Narrative Category
Narratives are scripted films using actors to tell a story. This year's winners included a love story, a silent film, a war movie, the birth of a new robot, a child in prison, and the story of a special place.
High School Winners
First Place: "More Than Meets the Eye" by Deirdre Braun »
By Deirdre Braun, Springside Chestnut Hill Academy — This tender film looks at the human need for togetherness and companionship through unlikely eyes.
Second Place: "The Things They Carried" by Dan Frantz »
By Dan Frantz, Downingtown West High School — This adaption of the book by Tim O'Brien explores the horrors of war.
Third Place: "Breaking the Mold" by Myranda Mallenbaum »
By Myranda Mallenbaum, Upper Dublin High School — This romantic film highlights the need to break from the routine of everyday life to find what is missing.
Middle School Winners
First Place: "Spark of Life" by Kris Theorin »
By Kris Theorin, PA Leadership Charter School — In this stop-motion feature, a robot comes to life and attempts to return home.
Second Place: "A Prisoner's Life" by Gabe Altopp »
By Gabe Altopp, Colonial Middle School — A tormented look at the psychological trauma of being trapped and imprisoned, both in a physical and mental space.
Third Place: "A Place Where Everyone Knows Your Name" by Celijah Cook »
By Celijah Cook, Positive Minds — An intriguing, thoughtful look at the pressures of growing up in the city and the importance of building community.
Documentary/ News Report Category
Documentaries and news reports are factual accounts of true events, using interviews, b-roll, narration and event footage. The documentary/news report winners this year explored volunteerism, bullying, autism, littering, and adulthood.
High School Winners
First Place: "Anything is Possible" by Patrick Meyer »
By Patrick Meyer, Middle Bucks Institute of Technology — A tender look at autism from the perspective of those who live with the diagnosis and their families.
Second Place: "Armenian Litterbugs" by Ani Acopian »
By Ani Acopian, Moravian Academy High School — This documentary explores the problem of littering in a town in Armenia and one girl's attempt to find a solution.
Third Place: "Adulthood" by Andre Reid, Dan Martin, and Victoria Lomax »
By Andre Reid, Dan Martin, and Victoria Lomax, WHYY Afterschool — Teens have always been curious about what it's like to be an adult. This documentary explores what it means to be an adult from the teen perspective.
Middle School Winners
First Place: "Bullying" by Marykate Santalucia »
By Marykate Santalucia, Peirce Middle School — A whimsical depiction of the dangers and pressures bullying can have on youth. The film offers some solutions if you are a victim.
Second Place: "Volunteerism in America" by Dylan Yachyshen »
By Dylan Yachyshen, Penn Alexander School — This documentary explains the historical significance of volunteerism in shaping American identity.
Open Category
This category is for videos that don't fit into either the narrative or documentary categories. The open category includes music videos, experimental videos, trailers, and non-narrative animation.
High School Winners
First Place: "Julie-O" by Jake Oleson and Will Politan »
By Jake Oleson and Will Politan, Millburn High School — An outdoor concert for an audience of one.
Second Place: "Chrysalis" by Kira Homsher »
By Kira Homsher, Cheltenham High School — A stop-motion piece about one girl exploring an abandoned space.
Third Place: "Reflections" by Jessica Lynn Grose »
By Jessica Lynn Grose, Big Picture Alliance — A musical look at the empowerment of girls told from the perspective of a teenager.
Middle School Winners
First Place: "Seeing through a New Lens" by James Tralie »
James Tralie, Sandy Run Middle School — A young boy discovers his potential when he is given a Flip camera.
Second Place: "Brain Gobblers from Saturn" by Kris Theorin »
By Kris Theorin, PA Leadership Charter School — A stop-motion trailer, produced entirely with Legos, inspired by classic science-fiction films.
Third Place: "The Perfect Child" by Madeline Bowne »
By Madeline Bowne, Clearview Regional Middle School — An endearing look at the difficulties of being a sibling.
Judges' Awards
Three films were selected as the best of the fest. In addition to receiving recognition in their individual categories, they were chosen by the judges as the standout films for their commitment to storytelling, technical proficiency, and intangible greatness.
First Place: "Reflections" by Jessica Lynn Grose »
By Jessica Lynn Grose, Big Picture Alliance — A musical look at the empowerment of girls told from the perspective of a teenager.
Second Place: "Chrysalis" by Kira Homsher »
By Kira Homsher, Cheltenham High School — A stop-motion piece about one girl exploring an abandoned space.
Third Place: "Spark of Life" by Kris Theorin »
By Kris Theorin, PA Leadership Charter School — In this stop-motion feature, a robot comes to life and attempts to return home.
