First Annual "Na Leo O Na Keiki" Media Festival

Last Monday, Aliamanu held the First Annual "Na Leo O Na Keiki" Media Festival at the Ong King Art Center. We celebrated a year full of media accomplishments by the members of the Aliamanu Boys & Girls Club. Although the Aliamanu Club is closing, we still called it the first because we hope to continue this tradition for years to come with the Spalding Clubhouse, and hopefully include other clubs as well in the future. We named the festival "Na Leo O Na Keiki," or "The Voices of the Children," because we believe that giving children media skills and tools gives them a voice. We've given them an opportunity to communicate to us who they are as individuals, what is important to them, and how they see the world. The Ong King Art Center provided us with a beautiful venue to exhibit over 100 photographic images and to play the 11 films that the youth created throughout the year.
We had a full house that evening, with LITs and other members greeting guests, providing them with refreshments and freshly popped popcorn, and selling tee shirts and DVDs. Many youth members, both featured artists and their friends, joined us for the celebration with their parents, siblings and other family members. Additionally, board members, community partners and other supporters of the BGCH came to see the exhibit. Everyone had an opportunity to look at all of the photographs displayed, as well as watch the different films that the children created.
As the recognition ceremony began, everyone gathered around to find out who won each of the judged awards, the People's Choice Award, voted on by the crowd, and the Purchase Awards sponsored by BGCH Corporate Board Members Chip Hammond and David Hudson. The staff of Aliamanu were pleased to announce the following winners:

Vision Award
"Mirror of Water" by Shantae Donald

Storytelling Award
"Street Walk" by Huni Pakileata

Camera Obscura Award
"Blueberry Tunnel" by Julia Rodriguez

Spectrum Award
"Through the Blades" by Micah Tofanelli
Technical Award
"Rusty" by Ciyana Davis

Luminosity Award
"Walking on the Moon" by Kevin Cadiente

People's Choice Award
"Impression" by Joshua Tolbe

Bronze Level Purchase Award
"Long Tree" by Brandon Banuelos

Bronze Level Purchase Award
"One & Only Club" by Leslie Ann De Guzman

Silver Level Purchase Award
"White Plains" by Nicolette Huffer

Gold Level Purchase Award
"Spring Time in the Summer" by Brandon Pierson

We also were pleased to award both Gabriella Campos and Kylar Shipley with the Future Filmmaker Awards to recognize their hard work and potential in filmmaking.

After the recognition ceremony, everyone had fun snapping photographs with each other and just enjoying the relaxed atmosphere with the youth. We're so thankful for everyone who contributed to the Media Festival and for everyone who joined us to show their support. It was a fantastic event and we look forward to making it only better in years to come!

To view photos of the event, please visit our Picasa Album. Special thanks to Christina Aiu and Adair Fincher who were our photojournalists for the evening, and also to Gabriella Campos, our youth member who took the "Photo Booth" photos for the night.