Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell,
Jingle Bell Rock at HHS
The energetic Huntington High School video club was at it again last week, planning and executing another school-wide video project. It was perfectly timed for the fast-approaching holidays.
Inspired by the Rascal Flatts version of "Jingle Bell Rock," lead singers Melissa Rosenberg, Brian McConnell, Chanelle Brown, Kyle Meit, Samar Nadi, Joe Straub and Daniel Moya sung the lyrics at 250 percent faster than the regular speed.
"Many other students participated in the various scenes, wrapping presents, eating cookies by the fireplace, decorating the Christmas tree, lighting the menorah and playing in the snow," said Heather Swan, who heads Huntington video arts program. The Huntington Highsteppers, the high school's competitive dance team and student Matteo McNeil played the roles of dancing reindeer.
After the video was recorded in high-speed, it was slowed down to regular speed so the singer's lips lined up with the original music and the background action was in slow motion.
"The final video created a unique school video project for the holiday season," Mrs. Swan said. "Our school-wide video projects are always intended to boost school spirit and show the students that when we work together we can do great things."
The project was made possible by the enthusiastic students who participated in the video, security staff that helped with an artificial snow machine and the Huntington Foundation which provided grant monies that allowed for the purchased of professional video equipment.
Mrs. Swan studied fine art at the University of Southern California and in London before graduating from Long Island University – C.W. Post College. "My love of technology and the arts began as a freshman in college when I received my first computer with Photoshop installed on it," she said.
After receiving a master's degree in communication arts from New York Institute of Technology, Mrs. Swan went to work as the creative director at a Manhattan-based web firm. She went on to attend the Vancouver Film School and later pursued a career in computer animation.
A teaching career beckoned after several years in the graphics design and animation industry. She earned a second master's degree, this time in art education from Hofstra University. "When a position as a computer arts teacher was presented to me, I was thrilled to be able to utilize all of my previous skills," Mrs. Swan said.
In September 2006, she kicked-off her career as a Huntington High School faculty member. "I have been teaching three levels of video, cartooning and animation and media arts classes, as well as running the after-school video club that includes the production of the school newscast," Mrs. Swan said.
Huntington's video students have excelled in the program, winning dozens of awards at film festivals.