Siletz Tribe sponsors successful youth film program premiere that ‘rocks’
The obvious: Students listen to their fellow students about prescription drug and gang awareness

By Natasha Kavanaugh

Seven years ago a collaboration between Lincoln County, the Lincoln County School District and the Northwest Film Center formed the Lincoln County Youth Film Program, which combines education with the art of filmmaking.

Each year, students at local schools write, produce and direct broadcast quality television, short films and other public service announcements.

This year, participating schools included Career Tech, Siletz Valley, and Newport, Taft and Toledo High.

On April 13, the Seventh Annual Lincoln County Youth Film Program premiere featured the Prescription Drug Awareness Project (DAP) and the Gang Awareness Project (GAP). Lincoln County Commissioner Bill Hall served as emcee.

Hall opened the premiere by thanking the program’s major sponsor this year, the

Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, and extending a thank you to Tina Retasket of the Siletz Tribal Council. He then showed a montage of previous productions that included a variety of messages through the years.

Savannah Worman, a student at Siletz Valley School, played the role of a mother of a teenage girl with a promising future who hopes to attend college. She called her daughter to let her know she had been accepted to college, but her daughter ignored her call. Later, she discovered her daughter had been shot over wearing rival gang colors.

“I had a lot of fun playing my part. It was sad to go through,” said Worman, sad in the sense of how realistic these films portray today’s teen struggles.

Schools are able to participate thanks to the Partnership Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (PAADA), which provides the substitute teachers that allow the teachers to work more closely with their students on this project.

Over the years, participating schools have included Career Tech High School,

Eddyville Charter School, Newport High School, Siletz Valley School, Taft Middle and High Schools, Toledo Middle and High Schools, and Waldport High School.

Previous projects include the Methamphetamine Awareness Project , the Tsunami Awareness Project, the Underage Drinking Awareness Project and the Drug Awareness Project.

Some final products have even been shown on Oregon television stations and in other states, as well as in Canada and Italy. One has been featured on ABC’s World News Tonight.

In closing, the teachers were presented with trophies for their projects. As Siletz School teacher Lorrie Syms accepted a trophy, she gestured to her students and said, “You rock.”

Hall wrapped up the premiere with, “Indeed, you do rock.”

Participants from Siletz in this year’s program include Kylie Childs, Aislyn Cox, Richard Deanda, Nevin Gilkes, Bo Johnson, Tyler Putman, James Stuart, Sierra Warren, Chayson Metcalf, Jake Westbrook, San Poil Whitehead, Joseph Williams and Savannah Worman. Teacher – Lorrie Syms (Tribal Members in bold)