C-SPAN honors Mansfield ISD students for documentaries

C-SPAN visited Jerry Knight STEM Academy on Monday and Ben Barber Innovation Academy on Tuesday to celebrate and honor students for their prize winning documentaries in C-SPAN’s annual StudentCam competition.

A C-SPAN and Spectrum representatives joined classmates, teachers, family members and community leaders to present the awards and recognize students and their teachers who served as their StudentCam advisers, at school assemblies.

Shayaan Yousuf, an eighth-grader at Jerry Knight STEM Academy, won second-prize and $1,500 for the documentary, “The Unfinished Promise,” about how the Declaration of Independence was tested during the Great Depression. Shaye Atwood will also be recognized for her role as StudentCam adviser.

Colby Waters and Drew Pellerin, 11th- and 12th-graders at Ben Barber Innovation Academy, won honorable mention and $250 for the documentary, “School Choice: Opportunity or Inequality.” Nathan Wood will also be recognized for his role as StudentCam adviser.

In recognition of the United States' Semiquincentennial, C-SPAN – in cooperation with its cable and satellite television partners – challenged middle and high school students across the country to examine the enduring power and relevance of the Declaration of Independence by exploring: Its influence on a key moment from America's 250-year history or how the values stated in the foundational document touch on a contemporary issue impacting them or their communities.

Through this project-based learning experience, students engaged in in-depth research, critical analysis, and original storytelling to explore matters of both personal and national importance. The response was extraordinary: C-SPAN received more than 1,800 documentary submissions from nearly 4,000 students representing 38 states and Washington, D.C., underscoring the competition’s broad national reach and civic impact.

“As we recognize America's 250th anniversary, this year's StudentCam participants masterfully documented important political as well as societal issues and key moments from our nation's history through compelling videos that highlight the values and enduring legacy of the Declaration of Independence,” said C-SPAN’s Director of Education Relations Craig McAndrew. “Each of their prize-winning videos is sure to spark meaningful reflections among viewers across the country and inspire future generations of filmmakers. On behalf of everyone at C-SPAN, congratulations to the exceptionally gifted young people who triumphed in the 22nd annual competition!”

C-SPAN is funded by America’s cable, satellite and streaming television companies as a commercial-free public service. In Mansfield, C-SPAN is available through Spectrum, our local partner in StudentCam.

“Each year, C-SPAN’s StudentCam competition demonstrates that the next generation is not only studying history – they’re engaging with it and applying it to the world around them,” said Adam Falk, Senior Vice President of State Government Affairs for Spectrum. “We commend the creativity of this year’s winners, who examined the enduring power and relevance of the Declaration of Independence at a pivotal moment as our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary.”

Among the most frequently addressed topics were:

Themes of Equality (16%)

Rights and Freedoms (13%)

Immigration and Deportation (10%)

Economy and Tariffs (9%)

Health (8%)

C-SPAN is awarding one grand prize, four first prizes, 16 second prizes, 32 third prizes and 97 honorable mention prizes. These winning videos will receive cash awards of $5,000, $3,000, $1,500, $750 and $250, respectively. The StudentCam competition has awarded over $1.7 million in prizes since 2004. Watch all 150 winning videos from this year’s competition at StudentCam.org.