VIDEO: Six Cerritos Film Students Honored for Their Community Service

Six students in the Cerritos College film class were honored with a certificate of appreciation on Feb. 16 for producing public service announcements (PSAs) for the St. Francis Medical Center Trauma Department.

The students in the Television Production class produced these PSAs as a class assignment in an effort to provide outreach services to the local communities.

The idea for the project was launched when Paul Carrillo, Injury Prevention Coordinator at the St. Francis Medical Center, called the school asking for help in producing anti-violence promos. He also visited the TV production class last semester with associates from St. Francis as well as from Southern California Crossroads, a non-profit organization assists under-privileged youth who come from low-income families in violence-plagued communities.

After a short presentation from the visitors, the whole class was inspired to produce PSAs to help create awareness of domestic and gang violence prevention. For most of the 17 students in class, it was their first video project.

"What was remarkable to see is how they brainstormed, work-shopped, pitched ideas to Paul Carrillo and his associates, then refined those ideas into 30 second messages and virtually produced the PSAs with very little supervision," said Professor Steven Hirohama.

The first-cuts by the 17 students were submitted for review in late October and then they were re-edited by the end of the fall semester. Eleven students completed the PSAs; an incredible achievement in the course of three months.

"I'm pleased that I got this certificate. Even though some will see it as just a piece of paper, it still means a lot to me," said student Daniel Nieto.

Eighteen-year old Jocelyn Coleman produced a PSA on cyber-bullying.

"The most challenging part of doing the PSA was finding a way to get the message through that would be potent enough and make an emotional appeal to viewers to see what really happens on an everyday basis and that it isn't just a joke," she said.

Certificates were presented to:

• Chayanne Acosta
• Rodrigo Arzate
• Jocelyn Coleman
• Ryan Hickenbottom
• Cristina Navarro 
• Daniel Nieto.

The PSAs are now being used by the St. Francis Medical Center's Trauma Department to educate the community about violence; youth violence, domestic violence, gang violence, bullying, etc.

To view more of the student produced PSAs visit: youtube.com/sfmctrauma.

- Cerritos College