Two 7th-grade students from Rushe Middle School, Fiore Smetana and Dominic Bellino, earned honorable mention in C-SPAN’s StudentCam competition for their documentary on the Civil Rights Movement. Their project, created for a social studies class, explored the movement’s complexities, highlighting both African American struggles and white support. Guided by teacher Anthony Engel, the duo incorporated historical footage, interviews, and music to create a 5-6 minute documentary. The competition, tied to America’s 250th anniversary, received 1,800 entries. The students plan to collaborate again and humorously discussed using prize money. Their win underscores youth engagement with historical themes of equality and rights.
7th Graders’ Civil Rights Documentary Wins C-SPAN Honor
