Ingenuity State of the Arts Report 2016-17 Ingenuity_SOTA_2016-17 | Page 44

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FILMMAKING: AN AVENUE TO SUCCESS
Photos courtesy of Kayla Sullers
FILMMAKING: AN AVENUE TO SUCCESS
For high school senior Kayla Sullers, arts
education has not only given her a creative
outlet, but also a pathway to her dream career
as a TV or radio show producer. Sullers, an
Advanced Arts student at Gallery 37, has already
received accolades as a documentary filmmaker
and looks forward to attending college next year
to study broadcasting. Sullers expressed gratitude for
Advanced Arts instructor Kera Mackenzie
exposing Sullers and her peers to this
opportunity. Mackenzie teaches Honors
Video Production and advocates for her
students to receive college credit for
their coursework.
Sullers’ story is a textbook example of a student
taking advantage of the many opportunities
CPS provides for students to thrive in the arts.
She grew into her passion through a combination
of in-school coursework, a school partnership
with a community arts organization, helpful
guidance by school staff, and participation in
CPS’ Advanced Arts program. “I know she really cares about us succeeding in
the area of cinematography,” Sullers said.
Sullers has always been creative. She started to
explore that creative side in earnest when she
began at South Shore International College Prep
High School, where she dove into visual arts and
creative writing courses. From there, she learned
about broadcast journalism through a program
sponsored by After