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Local school district hosts international film festival

A West Michigan school district is inspiring students around the world, with a project challenging them to document life during the pandemic.

SPARTA, Mich. — Schools might be closed for the remainder of the year, but one West Michigan district has come up with a way for kids to still get creative and collaborate. 

Sparta Public Schools has organized the COVID-19 Student Film Festival as a chance for kids around the world to share their experience during the pandemic.

Students at Sparta high and middle school can create on their own, with their family at home, as well as with their peers digitally. The project is geared toward kids in 6th through 12th grades.

Kids can get started now, and submissions are due no later than May 8.

But this isn’t limited to just Spartans. The district is also working to partner with other schools to compete in the film festival, everywhere from West Michigan to around the world.  

It’s all being made possible by a U.S. history teacher at Sparta High School who has taught, and held similar festivals, at districts around the world. 

Sparta Area Schools superintendent, Pete Bush, said this is a first for the district. 

“We don't just want kids at home filling out worksheets for the rest of the school year, we want them engaging in activities that they're excited about, and will help them to solve a problem or complete a project,” Bush said. “This film festival is just one more opportunity to engage them in some type of a meaningful activity.”

There are two phases of the judging process, local then global. They’ll announce winners May 15 and 22. In addition to bragging rights, the prizes include a GoPro HERO8.

The two categories are fiction and nonfiction, and films must be 2 minutes or less.

Fore more details, as well as to eventually find the completed films, you can visit the festival’s webpage.

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