The popular Marion County Student Media Festival will return next week to award local students for their outstanding work in the fields of audio and video production.
The 22nd annual installment of the awards ceremony will kick off at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 14 in the Browne Greaton Cole Auditorium on the Marion Technical Institute campus, which is located at 1614 E Fort King Street in Ocala. There is no cost to attend the event and it is open to the public.
This year’s festival will air live on the Marion County Public Schools YouTube Channel at 7 p.m., and it will hit the airwaves of the Marion Education Channel at the same time. Rebroadcasts of the event will also air on the Marion Education Channel throughout April on Fridays (7 p.m.), Saturdays (7 p.m.), and Sundays (2 p.m.).
The festival, which is underwritten with community donations and organized by local educators, showcases the outstanding work created by audio and video production students at all grade levels throughout MCPS.
Students from 24 different schools across Marion County submitted a total of 203 entries for this year’s festival. In March, more than 35 industry experts judged the online entries in 13 categories and four age groups.
During the upcoming festival, community leaders and district administrators will present certificates and awards to winning schools, along with four “Best of Show” prizes for grade levels K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. “Best of Show” honors include trophies, bragging rights, and $500 cash prizes for the schools.
Two additional honors will also be announced during the event, including the THEME Award (short for the Teri Hartley Effort in Media Education Award) celebrating a festival founder who devoted countless hours to recognize students for their work. In 2013, Hartley lost her battle with cancer. The THEME Award spotlights the ability of students in an entry falling just short of “Best of Show” honors.
The Joel Hartley Achievement in Cinematography Award will be given to one entry demonstrating a relentless pursuit of excellence in audio and video production. It is named for Joel Hartley, a district photojournalist/videographer for 18 years whose passion for audio/video direction contributed to the festival’s ongoing success. He lost his battle to COVID-19 in 2021.
For more information about the Marion County Student Media Festival, please contact the MCPS Public Relations Office at 352-671-7555.