Schools
NHS Students Seek Newtown's Stories After Dec. 14
A documentary project launched by four NHS students and a teacher is looking for stories of hope and healing.
How do you tell the story of Newtown since Dec. 14?
For a group of Newtown High School students, they're speaking with residents for a documentary about their experiences -- starting with teachers and students, but expanding throughout the community.
They're in the "finding of footage" stage, says NHS senior Colleen Hart -- her companions are Sarah Clements, Kristen DeGirolamo and Evan DeGirolamo. Working under the tutelage of teacher Stacy Stamm, the four students came together in February, meeting weekly to make sure their varying perspectives could align as a single vision.
"Everyone had a different idea," says Hart. "Evan and Sarah came in with a positive outlook. I wanted to see the different points of views of people, both positive and negative. And with that, we've created this."
Each brought their own experience, as well -- from Hart's involvement with volunteering to the DeGirolamos' background in film and documentaries. They began by reaching out to students and parents via school channels.
"We're always looking for different people," says Hart. "Of course, there are some people who don't want to be interviewed, and that's fine. We don't want people to answer questions they don't want to answer. We want it to be very respectful."
And before the project is done, says Hart, they're going to interview each other, adding their own perspectives. They've grown as friends while working together on the project, whether in meetings during the school year or capturing video footage at events around town. (For instance, they'll be at this week's Big Time Rush concert and Great Newtown Reunion.)
And the students say this isn't a story about the day of the tragedy, but about the people of Newtown in the months since -- and the people and places that helped them heal."It's a hopeful story about the aftermath, and about how our community has grown as a whole," says Evan, a junior at NHS. "We wanted to get a view of what this town is really about -- a close and bright community."
The group hopes to complete interviews by the end of the summer, in time for the students to head back to school. They've posted fliers across town seeking interested residents -- you may have seen them at C.H. Booth Library or Newtown High School. Residents who'd like to share their stories can reach the team at 1214documentary@gmail.com.
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