Burke's AP Academy starts with filmmaking workshop

The Advanced Placement Academy at Burke High School kicked off orientation last week with a filmmaking workshop that ended Friday with the presentation of a film made by students titled "My Charleston."

Filmmaker Portia Cobb, currently a visiting filmmaker at College of Charleston, instructed Burke's rising ninth-graders, members of the new academy.

For the past 15 years, Cobb has been director of the Community Media Project at University of Wisconsin, teaching hundreds of students the art of filmmaking. Cobb's direction for Burke teens was to film themselves expressing what they believe in.

"My objective is to motivate the students to explore image-making and storytelling through brief, individual autobiographical vignettes that will be edited together as a finale for the intensive five-day workshop," she said in a press release.

Students expressed belief in God, their families, themselves and their own abilities. The compiled videos created one movie about 15 minutes long.

Juanita Middleton, coordinator of the AP Academy, also appeared in the film to talk about her belief in God and in her students.

Middleton said she faces skepticism and criticism of the academy which, beginning next school year, will offer rigorous advanced placement and honors courses to prepare participating students for college.

Is she worried about the success of the program?

Middleton responded with confidence:

"I'm not worried about it. I never worry. I just do," she said.

Reach Christina Elmore at 937-5521 or celmore@postandcourier.com.