The Video Club at Walt Whitman was inspired by the street artist BLU, whose work was introduced to us by Masha, a service learner from Brooklyn College. We spent several weeks creating our own cardboard characters to animate, using stop motion, over a mural in the school courtyard. We also created a cool introduction on the blackboard in the music room. Written by Claire Danies, the story is of a lonely flower who longs to have some company. While shooting this piece, the girls of the video club were inspired to create a dance called the magical dance of the fairies.
Stay Rappin’
The latest video from the one and only, M.S.M!!!
This video was a serious group effort. Emi and our young emcees, Kimani, Darius and Malik, worked diligently in the music lab to come up with the song. Miss Jill taught everyone how to make a storyboard and plan the video. And the amazing Arin worked with a revolving crew of young filmmakers to produce this beautiful video. Great work everyone! Stay Rappin.
Revolution! An exhibit about the American, French and Haitian Revolutions
We have a special club here at Walt Whitman called, “Haitian Crew.” It’s a space for our Haitian students to get together and talk about their shared heritage, their common challenges, and sometimes to just have fun, eat pizza and play soccer. We recently went on a trip to the NY Historical Society to see the exhibit, “Revolution! The Atlantic World Reborn.” The students had a great time and learned, hands-on, about their history.
Alison, Jeff, Ronald, Jeff, Kristelle, Shelsa, Wildina, Saqr, Rodley, Isaac, Medjine, Dodley, Sebastien, Claire, Berlie, and Hadja
Boy’s Club at the African Burial Ground National Monument
Kindersley Louis, Jeff Jean, Thales Norzeus, Meshac Fontus, Damar Weir, Cedric Desormeaux and Jonathan Riviere
From about the 1690s until 1794, both free and enslaved Africans were buried in a 6.6-acre burial ground in Lower Manhattan, outside the boundaries of the settlement of New Amsterdam, later known as New York. Lost to history due to landfill and development, the grounds were rediscovered in 1991 as a consequence of the planned construction of a Federal office building. Dane Peters, our athletics supervisor and boy’s club facilitator, brought the boy’s club to the museum and memorial to learn about the history of this sacred space.
Girl’s Club at the Tribeca Film Festival
We attended the Tribeca Film Festival’s Youth Showcase, “Our City, My Story” on April 26th at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center. We saw student-produced films about the Dream Act, bullying, home foreclosures, sagging, teen pregnancy and what it’s like to be a gay teenager in NYC. The young ladies from Walt Whitman Middle School were thrilled to walk the red carpet and be a part of it all (they also got a bunch of autographs and pictures with the filmmakers).
Alison Mercure, Barbara Pierre, Adia Carvey, Chianne Chariandy, Carine Nelzy, Latea Lewis, Denisia Bowen, Masha Yakovenko, Jennifer Golterman, Destinee Bowrin, Kristelle Louis, Medjine Exantus, Claire Rachel Danies
Blue Screen Fun
Did you know that weathercasters don’t actually see the map behind them? They stand in front of a blue or green screen and the weather forecasts are incorporated afterwards. Here is Whitman’s weathergirl Miah having some fun with the weather. We also have a lesson in Jamaican slang right before we are magically transported to Jamaica for the quickest dance party in history. Finally, the Whitman crew drives through the Hollywood Hills spotting celebrities. Anything is possible with a blue screen!
We ♥ buttons!
You may have noticed a lot of 7th and 8th graders walking around covered in buttons, on their bags, jackets, even in their hair. My favorite part of this activity is how many students created buttons as gifts for their sisters, brothers, teachers and neighbors. Thank you Isabel for letting us borrow the button-maker!
