The Fifth Annual Bay Area Social Issues Documentary Film Contest (SI DocFest https://www.sidocfest.com/ ) was held at the Camera 12 Cinemas on Saturday, April 28, 2012. A panel of independent judges ranked 13 semi-finalist student films submitted by Bay Area schools. These judges were Blanche Araj-Shaheen, TV production professional and past host of KTEH's "Video I;" Dr. Felix Gutierrez, Professor of Journalism and Communication at USC Annenberg School; and Michael Whalen, Professor of Communication at Santa Clara University and independent television and film producer.

Freestyle Academy is proud to announce that Freestyle Senior student Ellie Vanderlip won $2,000, placing 1st in the Flex Category for her film "The Human Motor"; dealing with Critical Mass and the conflict between automobile and bicycle transportation. Placing 2nd in the traditional Non-Profit Category, Juniors Hannah Hansen and Nikki Kashani won $6,000, to be divided between Freestyle, the filmmakers, and Abilities United, for "The Path to Integration," dealing with the organization's efforts to provide educational opportunities to people with disabilities. Placing 4th in the non-profit category and earning $1,000 for the organization Kenya Dream of Cupertino was "Can You Dream," a film by Juniors Janna Wang and Rebecca Walton. The film profiles the organization's goals and accomplishments.

In recognition for their outstanding accomplishments, two other semi-finalist films in the Flex category, "Birdies," by Juniors Noah Hoffman and Lauren Salinero, and "A Freestyler For Change," by Senior Lauren Amorese, received $300.

Official SI Doc Press Release

Adam Spencley - Santa Clara University: Scholarship = $12,000
Alanna Rice - Chapman University: Chancellor's Scholarship = $20,000 per year.
Annalise Tahran - Chapman University Dodge College: Scholarship = $18,900 per year
Avery Grimes-Farrow - Hofstra University: Pride Award of $7,500
Elise Vanderlip - University of San Francisco: Scholarship = $10,000 and $2,000 Social Issues Documentary Film Festival Award
Frank Grabowski - Cogswell Polytechnical College: Scholarship = $1000
Julia White - Chapman University: Scholarship = $31,700
Katya Schaefer - Pitzer: Scholarship = $5,000 per year
Madisen McBride - University of Oregon: Dean's Scholarship = $7,000 per year
Maya Shaanan - Oregon State University: Scholarship = $2,000
Samantha Pann - University of Redlands: Scholarship = $16,000
Sophie Ho - University of California at Berkeley: Dow Jones News Fund Scholarship = $1000 and
the Los Altos Town Crier Scholarship = $1000
Teresa Zarmer - Chapman University: Scholarship = $15,000 per year

Social Issues Documentary (SIDoc) Film Festival results on April 30th, 2011

Freestyle Senior student awards

• Anya Schultz won 2nd place in the non-profit category with her film Life Learning Academy. Prize of $6,000 to be divided three ways - $2K to student, $2K to Freestyle, $2K to Life Learning Academy in the film.
• Rachel Wood and Callie Dick won 4th place in the non-profit category with their film Man in the Mirror. Prize of $1500 to SF Gay Men's Chorus.
• Rachel Wood received 1st place in the "Flex" category for her film For Social Good. Prize of $2,000 to Freestyle Academy.
  
  

Semi-Finalists whose organizations received $300:

• Ben Malenka & Tyler Cash
• Alyssa de la Vega & Susie Reynolds
• Catherine Halliday
  
  

Honorable mentions with $200 going to organizations in films by

• Seniors Blake Thiessen and Julia Mandeberg
  
• Juniors: Annalise Tahran & Shefali Vasudevan; Sarah Weber & Aiden Zucker

The Terry McElhatton Memorial Award recognizes the dedication of an educator to the teaching of documentary filmmaking, as represented by the number of films submitted to the SI DocFest. It is named after its original winner and friend of the SI DocFest, the late Terry McElhatton. The winner this year was Sue Kefauver of Freestyle Academy, and a $1,500 award was presented to Freestyle Academy's video production program in Sue's honor.

More details on https://www.sidocfest.com

Official Press Release: https://www.sidocfest.com/images/PRESS_RELEASE_2011_FINALS.pdf

Alejandro Aguilar - University of California Santa Cruz: Scholarship = $12,000

Allyson Watanabe - Loyola Marymount University: Scholarship = $5,400 per year

Alyssa De la Vega - Seattle University: Scholarship = $9,000 per year

Andrew Haughey - Kalamazoo College: Scholarship = $32,000 along with $500 per year

Blake Bowers - California College of the Arts: Scholarship $28,000

Danielle Lorberbaum - Chapman University: Scholarship = $20,000 per year

Layla Kovacevic - Chapman University: Scholarship = $20,000 per year

Julia Mandeberg - University of Oregon: Scholarship = $20,000

Kamron Sherkat - University of Arizona: Scholarship = $4,000 per year

Rachel Wood - Loyola Marymount University: Scholarship = $6,400

Susie Reynolds - University of San Francisco: Scholarship = $19,000 per year

Zoe Maddalena - Cornish College of the Arts: Scholarship = $13,000

Irene Lee was awarded 2nd Place and $300 in the Digital Category at the 2010 Blue Coat Art Show with her piece titled "Surprise Pregnancy". Christian Armada was awarded 3rd Place and $100 in the Photography Category at the 2010 Blue Coat Art Show with his piece titled "Enlightened".

Raime Shah's "Criminal" Animation created with After Effects was awarded 1st place in the Short Film category and 2nd in the 'Ligne d'Or' Prize or Best In Show at the Inaugural FaultLine Animation Festival for South Bay Schools

Anna Sakoi - Laguna College of Art and Design: Scholarship $5,000

Karina Muranaga - New York University : Scholarship $8,000 per year

Kyle Laffey - Loyola Marymount University: Scholarship = $12,000 per year

Luc Delamare - Loyola Marymount University: Scholarship = $26,000 per year

Michaela Stewart - Chapman University : Dean's Scholarship $15,000 per year

Sena Absar - Menlo College: Scholarship $33,000

Zoe Maddalena's Junior Documentary Website about Romeo and Juliet at LAHS won Best Mixed Media at the 2010 California Media Festival

A Freestyle film by the 2008-2009 Junior student team of Natalie Hon and Emily Munoz with their Film "Art Works" WON 1st Place at the 2010 Social Issues Documentary Festival in San Jose on Saturday 2/6/10 where 300+ high school films were judged by an expert panel. "Art Works" received $10,000 which is to be distributed among the non-profit Imagine Bus Project profiled in the documentary, Freestyle Academy, and Natalie/Emily (in the form of a cash scholarship.) Other Freestyle students Jules Walton, Nati Rich with their film "Service to the World" also received Honorable Mention (6th place). [ Read more or watch our films ... ]

Freestyle Academy becomes an Apple Distinguished School

Eric Cook received $100 from YoungArts National Foundation for the Advancment in the Arts for his film "Over the Cliffside" placing 16th out of over 400 submissions.

Senior Mary Dyer won $1000 for her art "Under The Shell" at the Blue Coat Art Show in Sunnyvale, CA.

"Jeremy" a Documentary Film by Junior Margaret Lewis was awarded 2nd place at the 2008 Social Issues Documentary Film Contest. The $5000 award was equally divided between the non-profit profiled in film, Margaret Lewis and Freestyle. Limited rights to the film were purchased by Hope Services for $2000 - this is why we can no longer post the film on our Freestyle website.

"No, Not That Kind of Mime" a Documentary Film by Junior Tanner Hanson andJunior Alix Kaufman was awarded 4th place at the 2009 Social Issues Documentary Film Contest. The non-profit documented in the film was awarded $1500.

Jose Ontiveros - California College of the Arts: Scholarship $5,000

Matt Leos - California College of the Arts: Scholarship $12,000

Michael "ElenaL Martinez - Knox College: Scholarship $4,000

Ben Mandeberg - University of California Los Angeles: Scholarship $4,000

Freestyle Academy presented with the City of Mountain View Mayor's Award and the Santa Clara County Board Of Supervisors Certifcate of Commendation