STEM Academy @ Bartlett eighth grade student Edna Luna recently won second place in the International Ocean Film Festival's middle school category with her film, “Black Ocean." Along with winning second place, Edna was also awarded the Global Audience prize. The global festival is currently in its 18th year of operation and was the first of its kind in North America, dedicated to using film as a medium to increase public awareness of the environmental, social, and cultural importance of marine ecosystems and foster a spirit of ocean stewardship.
The International Ocean Film Festival is now considered the premier venue in North America for ocean-related films. Edna, along with the other top finishers from the Philippines and Pakistan, were awarded cash prizes and an online education program experience from PADI elearning. Dr. Jimmie Cave, STEM principal, says, “I am so extremely proud of Edna and what she's been able to accomplish. Winning second place in an international competition is an incredible achievement. She is an outstanding student who will continue to excel. Congratulations, Edna!"
“Edna's dedication to her craft and her ability to use film to tell an engaging story is unparalleled. As her teacher I have been proud to know her and work with her from the first day she walked into my classroom in sixth grade. As a filmmaker, I am extraordinarily proud to see the global recognition she is starting to receive from others regarding her skills; it is well-deserved," states Mary Ann Rogers Lamberth, Film@STEM instructor and project sponsor.
Part of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, The STEM Academy @ Bartlett is a specialty middle school serving sixth through eighth grade students. The school was Georgia's first certified STEM middle school and has twice been chosen as FETC's number one STEM middle school in the United States. The STEM Academy is a Lighthouse School to Watch, Apple Distinguished School, and a Georgia Department of Education STEAM certified middle school.
