On Friday, April 29, Lockport attended the 32nd Annual MMEA Fest held at Neuqua Valley High School.

MMEA stands for the Midwest Media Educators Association. It is a group that was put together in order to give more recognition to students who have put in the time and effort to create different types of media. Students submit their work into this contest and possibly win an award. There are many different categories available, from comedic narratives, commercials, and so much more. This year there were 489 submissions overall from schools all over the state.

Lockport’s Club Create submitted videos into multiple categories. Their main goal wasn’t to win, but to get advice, experience, and to grow.

 “Overall, we had 12 entries in different categories in our first year in the competition,” said Mr. Conway, one of four staff members that run Club Create.

Abby Giordano submitted a video to the dramatic category. Out of 34 submissions in said category, her film “Self portrait,” starring Bella Savarino, won second place. This was a major accomplishment for Lockport since it was their first time present in the event. 

In addition, Lockport’s sports talk show, “The Sporters,” consisting of Lockport Central Campus students Matas Martinaitis, Ian Dunlap, Noah Karas, and Brady Mulligan, won 5th place in the Talk Show category. There were 10 submissions total in this section. 

This was not only an opportunity to learn and grow, but also a chance to bring a community together. Though the schools present may have been competitors, when opposing schools were nominated for awards, all other attendees gathered in applause regardless of the outcome.

Club Create is a group of innovative minds run by Lockport staff members Mr. Kevin Conway, Mr. Chandler Gaylord, Ms. Molly Cook, and Ms. Megan Connolly. All teachers have facilitated the overall development of the club by teaching members how to sculpt their individual crafts and by providing opportunities for students to showcase their talents in a creative way. Club Create will continue to thrive, and Lockport will continue to participate in the MMEA festival for many years to come.