Directing, videography, storyboarding, editing, graphics, and post-production

For years, Alaska ranked near or at the bottom among all states on national reading assessments, leading the Alaska State Board of Education to adopt Alaska’s Education Challenge in 2017, prioritizing early literacy to close opportunity gaps and improve student outcomes.

The Alaska Department of Education & Early Development launched a series of initiatives to equip educators with evidence-based literacy tools, including the Alaska Reads Act, annual Science of Reading Symposia, virtual and in-person professional development, and printed resources backed by the Science of Reading.

Though the 2024 symposium marked only the end of the first year of implementation, educators were already talking about their students' significant gains in reading.

I created a documentary-style video that captures the momentum of the Reads Act's first three years; informs parents, school boards, and community members of state literacy initiatives and developments; and compels state lawmakers to continue supporting these efforts.

I served as director/videographer for all interviews and b-roll, created the storyboard, edited and implemented post-production, and wrote and designed all graphics for this video. The video will be shown at future reading symposia, on the state senate floor, and at school board and PTA gatherings around the state.