Global Youth Rally 2009 turns into major party with a message!

Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver and First Lady of Idaho Lori Otter get the party started at Global Youth Rally 2009 -- a celebration of inclusion, courage and the human spirit.

It was a major party with over 2,000 youth -- many from Idaho (the host of the concurrent 2009 Special Olympics Winter Games), and joined by many others from across the United States and around the world. But it was a party with a major message, delivered in many ways by many voices, and coming through loud and clear: If we don't figure out how to be more inclusive and respectful of all people, we as a society and civilization are in major trouble. And there are no more courageous and worthy leaders of this effort to unify than those with intellectual disabilities.

Out is the "R-word" -- the derogatory epithet "retard" thrown around so casually by so many. We heard very movingly how painful this word is to those with intellectual disabilities, not to mention to their friends and loved ones. Rejected also, for that matter, is the very notion of disability; we all have our strengths and weaknesses -- better described by a new word "diffability" offered by Tim Shriver to mean "different abilities". Already this idea has spawned some new phrases in our school back in Arlington, Virginia: "That's just my diffability kicking in;" and, "I'm diffabled -- and proud of it!"

Follow up on Welsh's blog, "They made us feel really important!"

Welsh is absolutely right. I felt like a VIP when we just waltzed into this random party at the BSU Stadium last night. We didn't even ask if we could go in. They just looked at our credentials and said, "head right on in." As a matter of fact, I think we are VIP's! We had a press conference this morning and Welsh asked an amazing, deeply philosophical question that got everyone talking about the key to happiness. Afterward we shook hands and snapped photos with celebrities and sport stars like Sam Perkins(NBA legend), Donna deVerona(Olympic swimmer), and Gary Smith(Executive Producer of the Opening Ceremony!). He gave me excellent advice about being a producer.Well now the hard work has begun and they've shoved us into a tiny production office under the bleachers of the Taco Bell Arena. All is good though and we're very excited about tomorrow!

ACCTV Grad Rush to Perform "Unify" Rap Anthem Live at Global Youth Rally

Rush rehearses his original rap anthem "Unify" (music by another ACCTV grad, "kj") on the set of the Global Youth Rally. His performance will be backed by images from the music video, along with live shots from the audience -- a type of image support and augmentation that show producer call "iMag".

Brian Scholl will be shooting video from on the stage, getting closeups of rush and looking out at the audience. Joe Donahoe will be shooting from down in the audience looking toward the stage. Between the two video sources, we want to extend the "Unify" music video to cover the entire song, including shots of our experience at the Games and culminating with the live performance. Remember that the Global Youth Rally (10a-12:30p Mountain Time; 12n-2:30p Eastern Standard Time) can be viewed via live webcast by going to this URL: http://www.active.com/framed/event_detail.cfm?EVENT_ID=1665201&CHECKSSO=0.

It's been an amazing long weekend out here in Boise, Idaho, culminating with this exciting live show. We will leave for the airport directly from the Rally, and expect to arrive back at Dulles at midnight tonight.

ACCTV's Special Olympics PSAs go big!

Johnny Knoxville with costar from feature film "The Ringer" introduces video segments at the Global Youth Rally, which will include three pieces by ACCTV students: "I Can Hear You", "Weight on People" and the Animation "Be Kind, Be Tolerant".

It's awesome to see our video featured so prominently at the Global Youth Rally event. Of the four videos being played, three of them are from the Career Center's Television Production students. A last video, which was produced by University students, is more informational and adds a nice close to the video segment. All of the videos (with the exceptions of the two animations, which we will need to translate before posting) are posted on the "Fan Community" part of the Special Olympics website: http://www.specialolympics.org/community/index.html.

We will spend most of our time this morning during the Youth Rally documenting how these videos play during the show.

They made us feel really important!

The Arlington Production Team with Special Olympics Board Chairman Tim Shriver; we also got to meet (and be unabashedly photographed with) his sister and First Lady of California, Maria Shriver; they make everyone feel like they matter and are important, from the athletes to the staff and volunteers -- a tribute to their inspiring mom and SOI founder, Eunice Shriver!

Joe Donahoe looked up from munching his submarine sandwich as we tanked up before heading to the opening ceremonies and said, "Mr. Welsh, I gotta tell you, I feel really important!" One part of that feeling certainly comes from the magical all-access SOI (Special Olympics) staff id's that we've been given, the waving of which gives us access to all events. But the feeling also permeated everything at the opening ceremonies -- the caring of the volunteers, the friendliness of the Idahoans, the enthusiasm of the athletes and performers. We all feel like we are somebody and matter. There is a lot of smiling, caring and support in the air; this event is definitely in touch with its feminine side! And then there is so much inspiration provided from the atheletes themselves -- their courage, perseverence, positivity, fun and joy! Against the backdrop of the economic difficulties besetting the country (a story in the newspaper this morning is about one out-of-work family having to give up its rental house and try to purchase a trailer in order to essentially take up residence in a campground) this message of courage and perseverence is all that more moving. You go, Idaho! Let the Games begin (competition starts today at venues all around Boise)!!! We will try to check in on one or two venues with our all-access passes, but our attention today shifts to preparations for the Global Youth Rally at Taco Bell Arena. Do check out the link in the preceeding post, which contains all the information about this event, including a sign-up to get live streaming video tomorrow at 10am Mountain time/12noon Eastern Standard Time.

Streaming Video Link to Global Youth Event

2,000 athletes from over 100 countries came to Boise, Idaho to participate in the winter games; they made a truly impressive and moving pageant during the opening ceremonies.

Here's the link for registering to view the global youth rally on Monday, Feb. 9th:
http://www.active.com/framed/event_detail.cfm?EVENT_ID=1665201&CHECKSSO=0

The rally will take place from 10am until 12noon, Mountain time (12-1p EST). Some of the PSAs, animations and music videos produced by the students will be shown at this rally. Aldwin Jones may be brought on stage and interviewed about his song, Unity. He may even have a chance to perform some of it live before the audience which is estimated to be at least 3,000 people.

Awesome Start to Opening Day

Awesome start to opening day. Met with NY Production team and they were very complimentary of our work. They gave some really good feedback, which we'll post as soon as we get a chance. Aldwin may indeed get to perform live!!! Got staff credentials, tickets to opening ceremonies. Headed to opening ceremonies which start at 2pm Mountain Time (4p EST). Oh yes, and ran into Kenny G along the way!

First-Rate Effort from ACC-TV Production Team

Part of the Special Olympics Production Team (from left to right): Michael Parker (video shooting/editing; ACCTV grad), KJ (music producer; ACCTV grad); Tom O'Day (Instructor, ACCTV); Elise Krueger (Teaching Assistant, ACCTV & NYU grad)

The ACCTV Production team was incredible on the Special Olympics project, working on very short turnaround, with a lot of other stuff going on. Several graduates came onto the project, including Kevin "kj" Johnson (music production); Michael Parker (video shooting/editing); Aldwin "Rush" Jones (rapper and writer of "Unify"); Chris Guest (rapper and writer of "Words Around"); Phi Tran (animator); and, Will Boisture (computer graphics).

The current students benefit a tremendous amount from having the graduates around. And between the students, the staff and the graduates... it's a powerful production team. All of the student media may be found on the Special Olympics page of the Career Center's website:
http://www.careercenter.arlington.k12.va.us/CourseWebSites/tvprod/clientprojects/special_olympics.htm

We made it to Boise via Phoenix!!!

We left the Career Center at exactly 5:30am this Friday morning, February 6th, and made it to our hotel near the airport at 3:30pm Arlington time (1:30pm Boise time/Mountain time zone) -- a cool ten hours later.

So we're zonked, but really happy to be here, and excited to be participating in Monday's Global Youth Rally, and in the Special Olympics 2009 Winter Games in general.

Dr. Caputo deserves huge kudos for arriving at the Career Center at 5:15am to take us personally to the airport. He had to be almost as tired as we were, after the Governor Academy's very successful presentation at the Arlington School Board yesterday evening.

About that School Board presentation... Andi and Chelsea came to present the 30-second spot they made for Project Unify called "I Can Hear You". It made a strong impression on the packed room, generating spontaneous applause. Andi did a great job speaking about the production process. I also want to commend Joe and Brian, along with the parents of all the students, for coming out to support the Television Production Program and the Special Olympics project.

So here's a blog I am going to keep about our experience. I will encourage Aldwin, Joe and Brian to make contributions. We've been taking some fun pix along the way, and plan to shoot some video too. In general, the fellas are going to focus on media for Special Olympics, and I am going to focus on documenting their participation.

One last thank you... to Tom O'Day, Elise Krueger and John Woodhead for the incredibly hard work they put in this past week as they helped TV Production graduates and students create commercials, music videos and animation for the Youth Rally. The media has all been posted on the Special Olympics page of the TV Production website.