Rosalie De Jesus and Valerie Gonzalez may go to different schools, but they’re both taking part in their district-wide animation class for fifth- and sixth-graders.
They explained the projects they've been working on.
“I'm focusing mine on zero hunger because zero hunger has been a problem around the whole world and lots of people have been starving and I just want that to be fixed,” said De Jesus, an El Toyon Elementary school sixth-grader.
She chose the subject because it's a problem in her own community. As for Gonzalez, she went a different route based on what she’s read.
“I think that gender equality is the most important in my opinion because I feel like many women and girls out there do not have the same rights as they should,” the Lincoln Acres Elementary sixth-grader said.
The animation class is a six week long program for roughly 1,200 students in the National School District. Half of those, the sixth-graders, end their program with a grand festival.
“All of the students create their films on an iPad and they use an app called RoughAnimator. That's just one of the several that are out there, there are many that are really, really good,” said animation program director David Heredia.
Heredia is founder of the organization Heroes of Color, which runs the program. He said animation is teaching students how to tell stories and advocate through art.
“They create their storyboards first, they create their character designs, we have them sit outside and we do their voice overs,” Heredia said. “They'll narrate whatever they're saying in the film, and then they cut it together. So the student does everything.”
It’s their second annual event and the students will address global issues aligned with one of the 17 United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
“We know these students are going to grow up and be our leaders. And you cannot lead what you do not know. We want to give them as much opportunity to engage in topics, situations that they are inheriting,” said National School District’s assistant superintendent Sharmila Kraft.
She’s noticed the pride students and families have after finishing the program.
“The students realize their contributions have impact, and merit and value and I think that's one of the most important pieces that I see happening,” Kraft said.
This is Gonzalez’s first time taking part in any kind of animation. While she doesn't see a career in the field it could fit into her other passion.
“With animation I could probably tie it with fashion designing because I could probably draw some of the clothings and see how they animate in real life,” she said.
As for De Jesus, she took part in the program last year too. Her passions are drawing and singing, so animation fits right in.
She already does it on her own time.
“When you draw and you do still motion it becomes more like animated and it comes to life. And it's really cool,” De Jesus said.
Those moments of taking animation beyond the classroom are exactly what Heredia was hoping would come from the program.
“Aside from the films that they're working on, aside from the heavy topics that they’re discussing — this is giving them an opportunity not just to be seen and recognized, but develop a sense of worth,” he said.
The big night is the cherry on top — with industry professionals present and movie-star treatment for the students.
“Oftentimes the adults are teaching the kids, here's an opportunity for the kids to teach the adults,” Heredia said.
This weekend’s "red-carpet" event will take place at UC San Diego’s Park & Market building downtown to celebrate the students' animations, alongside their families and friends.
