Baylee Peterson showed she was up to the challenge when asked to use her skills in art, photography and technology to create an image of inclusion. The incoming Durango High School sophomore won a national prize for her photo-illustration entry.
The award was given by the Boys & Girls Club of America. Baylee has been attending the Boys & Girls Club of La Plata County for six years and used a digital camera to capture a variety of images that she thought showed inclusion in action. Then she used digital illustration software to create a collage of the images.
“Through the Digital Arts Festivals, we’re able to inspire our future photographers, designers, game developers, filmmakers and musicians,” said Jared Wright, local Club Tech program specialist. “It is amazing what our local youth can do when given access to cutting-edge technology and allowed to express themselves creatively.”
Other categories in the festival included animation, music-making, game design, graphic design and film.
Some prizes come with a plaque or a ribbon. This one comes with something more than bragging rights.
Baylee will be joining other teen winners on an expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles, where she will attend an awards gala at the Globe Theatre; career experiences with Comcast and NBCUniversal, which will include a career panel with company executives and sessions on music in film and how to pitch movie ideas; and a private tour of Universal, Warner Brothers and Cartoon Network studios.
“I am really excited for this opportunity to meet other people from Boys & Girls Clubs around America,” she said. “This trip will be a great way to experience a place I’ve never been before and to learn more about what goes into a great movie or production.”
abutler@durangoherald.com
