James Clemens High School Jets audio/visual students ace state, head to nationals

Published: May 9, 2024

MADISON – On the Path to Championship Victory

In an exemplary display of skills and talent, students from the Arts Audio/Visual Academy at James Clemens High School excelled at the 55th annual Alabama State Leadership Conference and SkillsUSA Championships held in Mobile. The students, part of the JETSpress and “On The Radar” programs, have now qualified for the national championships.

Honing Skills in JETSpress and On The Radar

The James Clemens High School Arts Audio/Visual Academy offers students introductory courses in TV production. Pupils then have choices to further pursue education in film through JETSpress or dive deeper into TV production with “On The Radar.” These branches foster the development of short films, student news, Public Service Announcements (PSA), music videos, commercials, and promotional videos for school and community engagements.

A Celebrated Journey to The State Championships

The journey to reach the state championships was initially paved through district competition rounds at Calhoun Community College. In these rounds, James Clemens students won the first and second places in Digital Cinema and claimed first and third spots in TV Production. As per Skills USA guidelines, the number of participating teams were determined based on club size.

Diya Patel and Arden Sindel, who had achieved second place at the district level, triumphed at the state level clinching the first place in Digital Cinema. Laura Brown and Errius Horrison, following their district-level victory, advanced to state in TV Production.

Ace Ventures at State – Headed To Nationals

“Our students’ hard work and determination throughout the year have rewarded us with our first state championship banner with Skills. I could not be prouder of their outstanding achievement in their first experience competing with SkillsUSA,” communicated Clay Combs, the instructor of Introduction to TV Production classes. He also pointed out, “Every group that participated showed immense creativity, talent, and perseverance. They networked with other schools across the state and made true connections with other students venturing into the TV production or film industries.”

Beyond The Championship

Apart from their championship ventures, “JETSpress” is also wrapping up its full-length feature film this semester. The movie “Tomatoes and Marigolds” is slated to premiere in local theaters in late May or early June. Furthermore, a JETSpress Filmmaking Summer Camp is scheduled to be conducted from June 3-7, which will cover an array of filmmaking aspects and showcase all camp-produced films.

Indeed, the journey of these aspiring film leaders does not end here. Their next stop? The national SkillsUSA Championships in Atlanta this June. Awaiting eagerly is the nation, ready to be amazed and inspired by their talent.