Skyview High School senior Clint Saylor is working on a full-length documentary about his school’s marching band, so he had plenty of footage to draw from when entering a national video production contest.
Saylor, a 17-year-old Vancouver resident, put together a three-minute demo reel and was one of five students selected for the All-American Video Crew. He will be a camera operator Jan. 8 at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio.
“It came as quite a shock, but it was pretty awesome,” Saylor said.
He viewed the demo reels submitted by the other winners and was impressed by what he saw.
“I think it will be a lot of fun hanging out with other people who really know what they’re doing,” he said of getting to meet the other crew members next month.
Saylor studies video production with Nancy Wistrand at Skyview. He plans to attend Brigham Young University next year to study engineering and video production.
Author looks at the true meaning of Christmas
The recently released book “Once Upon a Christmas” brings together three authors to tell 20 stories that share the meaning of Christmas.
One of the stories holds a special meaning for Vancouver author Linda Reinhardt, who collaborated with authors Sharon Bernash Smith and Rosanne Croft.
Reinhardt, 51, wrote “Only One Wish for Me” 20 years ago as a gift for family members. It follows two children who lose their parents and spend the following Christmas with their grandfather. In the process, they teach him the meaning of Christmas.
The story has stuck with her over those 20 years. “Through the years, I’ve directed it, performed it as a play, and now it’s in a book,” she said. “It’s kind of sentimental. It’s been with me throughout the road of growing as an author. It’s kind of like an old buddy.”
“Only One Wish for Me” is one of four holiday-themed stories Reinhardt contributed to the collection.
Smith first approached Reinhardt about contributing to the book in September.
It didn’t take much to convince Reinhardt to take part in the project. She had teamed up with Smith for an earlier book, and the project’s scope was especially attractive. “I love Christmas stories,” she said.
Reinhardt hopes that readers share that affection. “Sometimes Christmas can be a lot of fun, and I hope that people can slow down a bit and remember that Christmas is all about celebrating the birth of Jesus,” she said. “That’s what it’s all about. The presents and everything are just an addition.”
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