This summer, the images of four Samy’s Camera Photo Camp students from Arroyo Vista Elementary were displayed in the gallery show at PHOTOCON LA—Southern California’s largest ever photo and cinema trade show—at The REEF in DTLA.
Arroyo Vista Elementary School is a top rated public school located in South Pasadena. The school boasts far above-average test scores and student proficiency, a testimony to the strong collaborative efforts among the staff, families and the community to ensure the success of their students. Award-winning Principal Cherly Busick is at the helm. “Busick has a record as an outstanding instructional leader,” (Pasadena Star News). She is known as a strong, collaborative leader who develops strong partnerships with both parents and community members (Patch). Busick says the school’s “overriding philosophy is that educational success, physical health, emotional support, and family and community strength is inseparable.”
Clearly, she’s right. Parents actively volunteer in the classrooms, in the library, and help with a variety of projects throughout the year. Teachers and staff do their part with a cohesive system of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) — a proactive approach to establishing the behavioral support and social culture needed for all students achieve social, emotional and academic success. For example, they hand out ‘blue slips’ for good behavior that enter the student into a monthly raffle. They refer students to the principal office for a high five and cheers, send home notes of praise, and motivate students in the classroom with tokens, point systems, or tickets for model behavior. The system is working — Arroyo Vista is one of the highest rated, best reviewed, and most loved schools in the state.
So, it was with great pleasure that I informed four students — William Harte, Miles Kretz, Griffin Farmarco, and Amelie Skivington — that their photo was to be displayed at PHOTOCON LA.
Over three days in June, 50+ of the photographic and cinema industry’s top brands including Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, Fuji and many more were in attendance, plus a virtual Who’s Who of the photographic and cinema communities leading over 100 classes, sales of the newest and most innovative equipment, Photo Exhibits, Drones, Food and Entertainment. Many of the most respected brands in photography and cinema were on hand offering product demonstrations and exclusive deals and discounts.
A museum quality photo exhibition of over 1,600 square feet showcased iconic images from The Los Angeles Times, winners of the “Images of Hope” still photography contest, works from the City of Hope Archives, the American Society of Cinematographers, a carefully curated collection of fine art photography from top photographers such as Joe McNally, Robert Hanashiro, Andrei Duman, Neal Preston, and… our very own Samy’s Camera Photo Camp students.
Congrats, you guys!! Your teacher is very proud. Here are the images that were chosen for the PHOTOCON LA gallery show...
plus photos from Arroyo Vista Elementary’s 5th-grade class graduation.
Created in 2009, Samy's Camera Photo Camp has taught thousands of students across Los Angeles. The afterschool course teaches fundamental concepts within different fields of photography, culminating in a gallery show of the students' work. To bring Samy's Photo Camp to your school, please contact the program director Deborah Cloyed at 323-938-2420 x ext. 1286 or photocamp@samys.com.
