SUN-SENTINEL (2/5/2002)

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS IN SUNDANCE FOR KIDS AROUND COUNTY

By Gregory Lewis Staff Writer

Jeff Salazar, a 17-year-old computer-savvy youngster, has spent most of the past year teaching younger children still photography and computer usage. As a volunteer in the The Children's Coalition Inc., Salazar helped produce a documentary that he and five other students recently showed at a special youth studio during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

"I was never involved in film before, and now it's one of my interests," Salazar said.

"A lot of people showed a lot of films, but everyone loved our film."

The film, Images of The Children's Coalition Inc. IV, a work in progress shot by the students, is about the nonprofit agency. Parts of three previous films also were shown to students from other arts organizations.

Meredith Lavitt, senior manager of the Sundance Institute's documentary film program, said that being selected to participate in the Gen-Y Studio is very competitive.

"There were only 16 slots," she said. "It's wonderful to be chosen. It's a gathering place for youth to share ideas, explore independent film, engage in dialogue, and talk with actors and filmmakers."

Salazar said he volunteered to help "kids who don't get a lot of opportunities."

He didn't have any idea that when he got involved it would lead him to a chance meeting with Robert Redford, founder of the festival.

"I was shocked when I met him," Salazar recalled. "I introduced myself, and he introduced himself. ... I told him I was part of Gen-Y workshops and that I was with The Children's Coalition Inc.. He asked about the organization. Then he asked, `Are you having a good time?'"

For Carlton Cartwright, executive director of The Children's Coalition Inc., founded in 1993, the trip was a dream come true.

Cartwright wanted to expose Palm Beach County children, ages 5 to 18, to media arts, such as still photography, videography, film production, graphic arts and desktop publishing. The children are considered at-risk, meaning many have been abused and some have already been exposed to the juvenile justice system.

"They've been abused, abandoned and exposed to God only knows what -- drugs, sex, you name it," Cartwright said. He invoked the "digital divide," the perception that many poor and minority youths lack technological skills because they don't have access to computers.

"I wanted to fulfill a need," he said. "It was easy to see the digital divide needed to be addressed. We started with photography. That's a pretty easy draw for kids. We've served 3,500 kids over southeast Florida,
introduced them to the world of art and technology."

Through arts, Cartwright hopes the youths will gain a sense of accomplishment and maybe learn an employable trade in the process.

Some days all 25 computers in the modest-sized office are filled. Some days only six children show up.

"We're still at the mercy of what's going on at the shelter or the problems that are not of [the child's] making," said veteran teacher Loretta del Sosa.

The program includes hands-on instruction and field trips to give the children experiences they've never had, such as flying to Utah for a film workshop.

More than a year ago, Cartwright was watching an Arts & Entertainment channel biography on Redford. He was so intrigued, he went to the Sundance Institute Web site, where he discovered student workshops were offered at the film festival. He applied and raised the $5,300 to take six children and two chaperones there last month.

The attendees -- Salazar; Agustin Gonzalez of Boynton Beach; Britany and Demi Glasper of West Palm Beach; and Elza Samples and Christian Rose, both of Belle Glade -- had a chance to mingle with movie stars, filmmakers and other students interested in film for six days.

Students kept journals.

"Every morning we get up and view a film," wrote Gonzalez, 18. "Then in the evening we all meet again and get to talk with a few people who were a part of the film we saw earlier. We break for a 30-minute dinner. ..."

"Then we start the part I look forward to the most, that is, viewing the films that the other students have made," he wrote.

Gonzalez, who will graduate from the School of the Arts High School this spring, said after his Sundance experience, "I know for sure I'm going to pursue a career in arts communication, film and video.

"I want to do both," he said. "But I'd be happy to do either."

Gregory Lewis can be reached at glewis@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4203.

Publication Date: Tuesday, February 5, 2002 
Edition: Palm Beach 

Section: LOCAL 
Page: 1B 

Dateline: WEST PALM BEACH 
Publication: SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL 

Illustration: PHOTO 
Caption: Staff photo/Scott Fisher
Amid fame: Students at the Sundance Film Festival, clockwise from left: Agustin Gonzalez, Carlton Cartwright, Elza Samples, actor Jamie Cromwell, Britany Glasper, Christian Rose and Demi Glasper. The group of children considered at-risk went to the famed festival in Utah and attended seminars on making movies.

Copyright 2002 Sun-Sentinel

Palm Beach Post Article

(The Children's Coalition Inc. is on the Internet at www.fyicomminc.com/tcci/tcci.htm.)