It is with much disappointment that we've been forced to cancel the S-Video Festival this year. This is one more example of how the education cuts made last spring have had negative impacts on the students.

 The decision came as a surprise to us as planning for this year's festival had already begun. Two weeks ago, in an e-mail to our education co-ordinator, Tim Reeves-Horton, our company's front man on this project, Mitch Landry, co-ordinator of technology integration and assessment for the South Shore Regional School Board (SSRSB), said that with the cuts made to central office last spring, "the staff do not have the time required to support this excellent project." As a result, the festival has been cancelled for at least this year.

 In the larger scheme of things such a project may seem inconsequential to some people, but I've judged the student work several times and I've seen first-hand the excitement and joy generated by this project. Make no mistake, the students will miss it.

 When Lighthouse Media Group (LMG) first approached the SSRSB six years ago about media literacy by encouraging students through video production, the board had been holding a yearly screening of a selection of student videos in the cafeteria of one of their high schools. Since that time, this gathering blossomed into S-Video Fest - an annual community event featuring 20 to 30 videos produced by South Shore students from Grades 1 to 12.

 The screening became a standing-room-only gala where student videos were shown at Empire Studio 7 - which donated the theatres. Along with seeing their videos on the big screen, the students' experience was enriched with judges, trophies and great prizes.

 LMG was instrumental in designing this important youth education, arts and culture event from the ground up. Students worked independently or as part of their class to produce a video less than five minutes in length that had some relevance to an area of study in their curriculum. The videos were submitted in late March for the mid-April festival, which coincided with SSRSB's Knowledge Festival.

 Throughout the year, LMG worked to promote the festival by hosting a dedicated section of our website (http://southshorenow.ca/svideofest/) to display the videos along with other festival information. LMG also designed and produced promotional print material that was supplied to SSRSB for use in the schools; advertisements, newspaper coverage, videos and even editorials over the years helped raise the profile of this great opportunity for South Shore students.

 On the day of the gala at Empire Theatres Studio 7, student filmmakers proudly welcomed their family, friends and community to see their productions on the big screen. The videos were judged immediately after screening and comments were given to the video producers by industry professional judges. LMG provided five trophies (Best Video - Elementary Animation, Junior/Senior High Animation, Elementary Live Action, Junior/Senior High Live Action and the People's Choice Award) along with cash prizes. SSRSB handed out matching prizes in the form of video production equipment.

 The most recent upgrade to the festival was instituted at the 2010 event, when the People's Choice Award was decided by on-line voting. More than 1,000 different individuals voted on the education section of southshorenow.ca.

 Perhaps it seems as if we're tooting our own horn here, but this project wasn't about us. However, we believe S-Video Fest was a stellar example of how LMG encourages worthwhile partnerships that benefit a large number of people. Over the years, the video festival has spurred hundreds of local youth to make their voices heard through media production and we believe that its demise represents a great loss for the students.

 We understand that these are difficult economic times with scarce dollars to go around. However, it's also true that from a monetary perspective, this festival cost the board very little.

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 In truth, the board's contribution was largely represented by staff participation, which was vitally important to the effort. It is, indeed, unfortunate that because of a budgetary squeeze these staff members no longer feel they have the time to contribute to the project, a move that will have a direct impact on the students.

 We cringe every time we hear the premier, Education minister or other politicians say that belt tightening is necessary for every government department, but that maintaining the same level of education for the students is paramount. The truth of the matter is that they can't do it. It's simply not possible to cut millions of dollars from the budget over several years and hope to provide the same level of education. Fewer teachers and fewer resources make that an unattainable goal.

 It is a fallacy to think that ongoing cutbacks in education will have no direct impact on the students in the classroom. This is one example that proves just the complete opposite is true.

 We would like to see the festival continue into the future as it's a great learning experience for the students and we hope that after this one-year hiatus the larger festival can be resurrected. Meanwhile, watch for upcoming details about our on-line festival later in the school year.

 E-mail me: editorial@southshorenow.ca

posted on 01/18/12