Abstract
In response to the Parkland School shooting in February 2018, students nationwide have begun organizing to push for gun reform and the end of school gun violence. As an access television employee interested in hyperlocal news, I would like to explore how the high school students of Billerica, MA (where I work) are responding to this recent movement. After some discussion with my high school video club members, I have decided to do a short collaborative documentary project with Billerica Memorial High School students focusing on their opinions about gun violence and student activism. The documentary will primarily feature interviews with students, school employees, parents, and other groups impacted by student activism and school gun violence. I am organizing a group of students to help plan interviews, gather social media posts from students, edit footage, and other logistical tasks for the documentary. My goal is to center this project around student voices and decisions rather than that of adults in the community.

BMHS Student Walkout March 14, 2018 (Photo Credit: Jake McIntosh, BMHS Class of 2020)

For more information about this project, please check out my design brief and related project slides. I imagine as this documentary process develops further, some of the information in my brief will change, but that’s design for ya!