 |
 |
|
This news release has been expired
|
|
American Council of the Blind’s Audio Description Project Announces the 2009 Young Described Film Critic Awards
Arlington, VA
Friday, July 17, 2009
For Immediate Release
Contact: Joel Snyder, Director, Audio Description Project
202) 467-5083
WASHINGTON, July 17, 2009 -- The American Council of the Blind (ACB) is proud to reveal the winners of the 2009 "Young Described Film Critic" Awards, a "Listening Is Learning" initiative of the Council's Audio Description Project (ADP) and the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP).
The premise of the Young Described Film Critic program is simple: kids love movies. If a young person can't see or can't see well, audio description provides access to all the visual images of the movies that their sighted peers enjoy. Description benefits children who are blind and others who have learning disabilities and it has been shown to boost literacy for all children.
The Young Described Film Critic program asked young people who are blind or have low vision to submit short reviews of any described movie.
The winners of this year's honors are:
Senior Category (ages 15 to 18):
First Place – Jessica Laurie, Georges Mills, N.H. (Kearsarge Regional High School) for her review of "Father of the Bride"
Second Place – Grecia Ramirez, Smyrna, Ga. (Center for the Visually Impaired) for her review of "The Sound of Music"
Third Place – Alexis Griffin, Covington, Ga. (Center for the Visually Impaired) for her review of "The Sound of Music"
Junior Category (ages 11 to 14):
First Place – Shanae Bethea, Atlanta, Ga. (Center for the Visually Impaired) for her review of "The Sound of Music"
Sophomore Category (ages 6 to 10):
First Place – Cricket Bidleman, San Diego, Calif. (Sunset View Elementary School) for her review of "101 Dalmatians"
Second Place – Ashley Robinson, Ellenwood, Ga. (Center for the Visually Impaired) for her review of "The Sound of Music"
"Audio description uses words that are succinct, vivid, and imaginative to convey the visual image from television, film, DVDs, theater, museums and many other settings," stated Mitch Pomerantz, president of the American Council of the Blind. "The young people honored with these awards not only appreciate the ability to enjoy films and television right along with their peers — description helps them and their sighted friends develop language skills through exposure to varied word choice, synonyms, metaphors and similes. I wish I'd been able to have access to description when I was growing up! "
Additional information about ACB's Audio Description Project is available at www.adinternational.org; more information about the Described and Captioned Media Program is at www.dcmp.org.
About the American Council of the Blind
The American Council of the Blind is a national membership organization. Its members are blind, visually impaired, and fully sighted individuals who are concerned about the dignity and well-being of blind people throughout the nation.
Formed in 1961, ACB is one of the largest organizations of blind people in the world, with more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates and a nationwide network of chapters and members spanning the globe.
For more information about the American Council of the Blind, contact: Melanie Brunson, Executive Director, American Council of the Blind, 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201; phone (202) 467-5081 or toll-free, 1-800-424-8666; or visit the web site, www.acb.org.
Contact: Joel Snyder, Director, Audio Description Project
202) 467-5083
WASHINGTON, July 17, 2009 -- The American Council of the Blind (ACB) is proud to reveal the winners of the 2009 "Young Described Film Critic" Awards, a "Listening Is Learning" initiative of the Council's Audio Description Project (ADP) and the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP).
The premise of the Young Described Film Critic program is simple: kids love movies. If a young person can't see or can't see well, audio description provides access to all the visual images of the movies that their sighted peers enjoy. Description benefits children who are blind and others who have learning disabilities and it has been shown to boost literacy for all children.
The Young Described Film Critic program asked young people who are blind or have low vision to submit short reviews of any described movie.
The winners of this year's honors are:
Senior Category (ages 15 to 18):
First Place – Jessica Laurie, Georges Mills, N.H. (Kearsarge Regional High School) for her review of "Father of the Bride"
Second Place – Grecia Ramirez, Smyrna, Ga. (Center for the Visually Impaired) for her review of "The Sound of Music"
Third Place – Alexis Griffin, Covington, Ga. (Center for the Visually Impaired) for her review of "The Sound of Music"
Junior Category (ages 11 to 14):
First Place – Shanae Bethea, Atlanta, Ga. (Center for the Visually Impaired) for her review of "The Sound of Music"
Sophomore Category (ages 6 to 10):
First Place – Cricket Bidleman, San Diego, Calif. (Sunset View Elementary School) for her review of "101 Dalmatians"
Second Place – Ashley Robinson, Ellenwood, Ga. (Center for the Visually Impaired) for her review of "The Sound of Music"
"Audio description uses words that are succinct, vivid, and imaginative to convey the visual image from television, film, DVDs, theater, museums and many other settings," stated Mitch Pomerantz, president of the American Council of the Blind. "The young people honored with these awards not only appreciate the ability to enjoy films and television right along with their peers — description helps them and their sighted friends develop language skills through exposure to varied word choice, synonyms, metaphors and similes. I wish I'd been able to have access to description when I was growing up! "
Additional information about ACB's Audio Description Project is available at www.adinternational.org; more information about the Described and Captioned Media Program is at www.dcmp.org.
About the American Council of the Blind
The American Council of the Blind is a national membership organization. Its members are blind, visually impaired, and fully sighted individuals who are concerned about the dignity and well-being of blind people throughout the nation.
Formed in 1961, ACB is one of the largest organizations of blind people in the world, with more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates and a nationwide network of chapters and members spanning the globe.
For more information about the American Council of the Blind, contact: Melanie Brunson, Executive Director, American Council of the Blind, 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201; phone (202) 467-5081 or toll-free, 1-800-424-8666; or visit the web site, www.acb.org.
Sharon Lovering
Editor
American Council of the Blind
Arlington, VA
202-467-5081
703-465-5085
