The Board of Governors of the San Francisco/Northern California Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2020-2021 Regional Student Production Awards for Excellence.
Entries were submitted by high schools with media programs in the chapter’s region, Visalia to the Oregon border including Reno, Nevada and Hawaii, for work done during the 2020-21 school year. The “Award for Excellence,” an engraved glass pillar, is presented to the school with each student recipient receiving a certificate. For the “Award for Merit,” each student receives a certificate. A total of 124 entries were received from 14 high schools.
17 Pillars for Excellence 20 Certificates for Merit were awarded.
“The judges commented on the excellent work students continue to turnout during COIVD-19 and no access to school campuses.” said chapter Education Chair Keith Sanders. “We hope to be able to present Pillars and Certificates to students in person when classrooms reopen.”
Eight high schools will receive Pillars of Excellence, Buchanan High School, Clovis, six; two each: Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton; El Diamante High School, Visalia; Moanalua High School, Honolulu, HI; and Tamalpais High School: Academy of Integrated Humanities and New Media (AIM), Mill Valley. Single awards to: Academy of Arts, Careers & Technology, Reno, NV; Franklin, High School, Elk Gove, and Whitney High School: WCTV19, Rocklin.
Certificates of Merit are also going to eight high schools: Whitney High School, seven; Moanalua High School, four. Two each: Buchanan High School, El Diamante High School, Tamalpais High School (AIM). Single awards to: Franklin, High School, Maui High School, Kahului, HI; and Novato High School: Marin School of the Arts, Novato.
The Pillar recipients will move forward to the national competition between all 19 chapters of NATAS.
The Complete list of recipients follows:
PROGRAMMING CATEGORIES
Newscast
EXCELLENCE: Buchanan High School, Clovis; “BNN 2021”
Rylee Gonzales, Gabe Munro, Produce/ Writer/Anchors; Logan Garcia, Caleb Pouliot, Canyon Vang, Reporter; Noah Roberto, Director/Photographer/Editor; Chris Pearce, Camera/Lighting; Nate Long, Michael Perez, Camera/Editors; Blaise Gonda, Editor; Daniel Pearce, Advisor.
News Report-Serious News
MERIT: Whitney High School WCTV19, Rocklin; “Anorexia Through a Lens”
Ava Sillence-Dhamrait, Reporter; Lyndsey Rankin, Photographer; Ben Barnholdt, Advisor.
News Report-Light News
No Award
Video Essay
EXCELLENCE: Tamalpais High School: Academy of Integrated Humanities and New Media (AIM); “Voices of the Valley”
Jessica Bukowski, Filmmaker; Mike Goldstein, Mike Lavezzo, Sharilyn Scharf, Advisor.
MERIT: Buchanan High School, Clovis; “Vinyl: Bringing Back a Revolution”
Parker Wyatt, Producer; Daniel Pearce, Advisor.
Non-Fiction – Short Form
EXCELLENCE: Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton; “Cells vs. Zombies: The Role of Cellular Senescence in the Human Body”
Nitya Ayyagari, Director/Animator/Editor; Mani Vemulakonda, Advisor.
MERIT: Moanalua High School, Honolulu, HI; “Mo’olelo: The Stories of Aloha”
Chris Cochrane, Frances Michelle Uy, Writers; Austin Ariola, Zion David-Ravey, Camera/Editors; Austin Zavala, Advisor.
Public Affairs/Community Service
No Award
Arts & Entertainment/Cultural Affairs
No Award
Magazine Program
MERIT: Whitney High School: WCTV19, Rocklin; “Unleashed 11.17.20”
Leah Deutch, News Director; Ziana D’souza, News Diector/Weather Producer; Alicia Chiang, Annie Hsu, Sarah Young, Executive Producers; Olivia De Lamadrid, Kora Pinaula-Toves, Julie Williams, Production Managers; Alex Heitman, Jaelyn Jochims, Sports Directors; Reese Clarke, Ken Munoz, Social Media Directors; Alexa Topacio, Multimedia Manager; Ben Barnholdt, Advisor.
Music Video
EXCELLENCE: Academy Of Arts, Careers, And Technology, Reno, NV; “Don’t Throw Out My Legos”
Isabella Wolf, Producer; Robert Zorn, Advisor.
EXCELLENCE: Buchanan High School, Clovis; “Pancakes For Dinner”
Taylor Brunzell, Producer; Daniel Pearce, Advisor.
MERIT: El Diamante High School, Visalia; “Declaration of Independence – Rap Meal”
Kevin Lau, Editor; Ellie Hebert, Advisor.
Fiction – Short Form
EXCELLENCE: El Diamante High School, Visalia; “Incursion”
Noah Lillywhite, Producer/Editor; Kai Willey, Writer/Director; Sam Zurek, Cinematographer/Graphic Artist; Ellie Hebert, Advisor.
EXCELLENCE: Franklin High School, Elk Grove; “Performance Anxiety”
Shaina Ocampo, Writer/Director/Animator; Brad Clark, Advisor.
MERIT: Maui High School, Kahului, HI; “Anak”
Faith Christy Soliven, Producer/Writer/Camera/Editor; Clint Gima, Advisor.
MERIT: Moanalua High School, Honolulu, HI; “Mirage”
Sara Brekke, Producer; Angela Chong-Gum, Mary Mitchell, Actress; Easton Ikenaga, Camera/Grip; Khloe Ringor, Grip; Mark Ikenaga, Advisor.
Sports Story or Segment
MERIT: Whitney High School WCTV19, Rocklin; “Golfer beats Racism”
Alexa Topacio, Reporter; Ken Munoz, Photographer; Ben Barnholdt, Advisor.
MERIT: Whitney High School WCTV19, Rocklin; “Tennis Player Battles More Than Her Opponent”
Ziana D’Souza, Reporter; Sarrah Zanzi, Photographer; Ben Barnholdt, Advisor.
Public Service Announcement (PSA)
MERIT: Franklin High School, Elk Grove; “Purrtect Your Pipes”
Chase Burrell-Agnew, Write/Director/Animator; Brad Clark, Advisor.
MERIT: Whitney High School WCTV19, Rocklin; “Use Your Voice”
Olivia De Lamadrid, Koraleigh Pinaula-Toves, Production Team; Ben Barnholdt, Advisor.
Commercial
EXCELLENCE: Whitney High School WCTV19, Rocklin; “Steam Club”
Alicia Chiang, Michaela Oh, Production Team; Ben Barnholdt, Advisor.
CRAFT CATEGORIES
Animation/Graphics/Special Effects
EXCELLENCE: El Diamante High School, Visalia; “Beasts in the Orange clouds”
Mario Landeros, Animator; Ellie Hebert, Advisor.
MERIT: El Diamante High School, Visalia; “Concept”
Mario Landeros, Animator; Ellie Hebert, Advisor.
MERIT: Novato High School: Marin School of the Arts, Novato; “Kane Parsons VFX Reel”
Kane Parsons, Animator; Philip Chidel, Advisor.
Audio/Sound
EXCELLENCE: Buchanan High School, Clovis; “Amnesia”
Taylor Brunzell, Audio mixer; Daniel Pearce, Advisor.
EXCELLENCE: Buchanan High School, Clovis, “Notes”
Noah Roberto, Sound Editor; Chris Pearce, Boom Operator; Daniel Pearce, Advisor.
Director
EXCELLENCE: Buchanan High School, Clovis; “Who’s Sorry Now”
Noah Roberto, Director; Daniel Pearce, Advisor.
MERIT: Moanalua High School, Honolulu, HI; “Mirage”
Sara Brekke, Director; Mark Ikenaga, Advisor.
Editor
EXCELLENCE: Moanalua High School, Honolulu, HI; “Mirage”
Sara Brekke, Editor; Mark Ikenaga, Advisor.
MERIT: Buchanan High School, Clovis; “Who’s Sorry Now”
Noah Roberto, Editor; Daniel Pearce, Advisor.
Photographer
EXCELLENCE: Buchanan High School, Clovis; “Who’s Sorry Now”
Noah Roberto, Director of Photography; Daniel Pearce, Advisor.
EXCELLENCE: Moanalua High School, Honolulu, HI; “Mirage”
Sara Brekke, Khloe Ringor, Photographers; Mark Ikenaga, Advisor.
Talent – News or Sports
MERIT: Whitney High School WCTV19, Rocklin; “Alexa Topacio Talent Reel”
Alexa Topacio, Anchor; Ben Barnholdt, Advisor.
MERIT: Whitney High School WCTV19, Rocklin; “Koraleigh Pinaula-Toves Talent Reel”
Koraleigh Pinaula-Toves, Anchor; Ben Barnholdt, Advisor.
Talent-Performer
No Award
Writer
EXCELLENCE: Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton; “Cells vs. Zombies: The Role of Cellular Senescence in the Human Body”
Nitya Ayyagari, Writer; Mani Vemulakonda, Advisor.
EXCELLENCE: Tamalpais High School: Academy of Integrated Humanities and New Media (AIM); “Hello Kitty, Goodbye Innocence”
Jessica Bukowski, Writer; Mike Goldstein, Mike Lavezzo, Sharilyn Scharf, Advisors.
MERIT: Moanalua High School, Honolulu, HI; “Mirage”
Sara Brekke, Mary Mitchell, Writers; Mark Ikenaga, Advisor.
MERIT: Tamalpais High School: Academy of Integrated Humanities and New Media (AIM); “Hold That Thought”
Josh Chertok, Writer; Mike Goldstein, Mike Lavezzo, Sharilyn Scharf, Advisors.
MERIT: Tamalpais High School: Academy of Integrated Humanities and New Media (AIM); “Sofia Borg’s Personal Statement”
Sofia Borg, Writer; Mike Goldstein, Mike Lavezzo, Sharilyn Scharf, Advisors.