All posts by Rachael Hanley

William Huang ’14: Filmmaking is Like Building a House

2013_1205_Schnaittacher_WilliamHuangWhile others focus on the beauty of a particular shot, or the arc of the narrative, for Tzu Jung “William” Huang ‘14, the attraction of film is in the meticulous process of figuring out how each piece fits perfectly with every other.

That’s what drew the Taiwan native to film making in elementary school, where he started tinkering with Windows Movie Maker during a fifth-grade summer camp, and it’s what has kept him interested enough to learn other editing programs such as Final Cut.

It’s all about starting from nothing, says Mr. Huang, who tends to break into a wide, infectious grin while he talks about his process.

“It’s like building a house from all the raw materials,” he says. “From nothing, to 100 percent done.”

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Shabana Basij-Rasikh and the Crime of Educating Girls

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Photography by Chattman Photography

In celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Williston Northampton welcomed Shabana Basij-Rasikh, an Afghan education activist and co-founder and president of the School of Leadership Afghanistan (SOLA) to campus on Monday, January 20.

Ms. Basij-Rasikh spoke to the student body about growing up in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, when girls were forbidden to attend school. “I have extremely amazing parents,” she said. “They could not stand the idea of us, especially the four sisters in my family, growing up uneducated.”

Rather than flee, her family decided to stay in Afghanistan and educate their four daughters secretly, illegally. For the next five years, Ms. Basij-Rasikh dressed in boy’s clothing and took her older sister to a secret school in the home of one of their neighbors. More than 100 young girls attended classes in this tiny makeshift school. Ms. Basij-Rasikh remembers constantly fearing that the Taliban would discover the school and kill everyone inside.

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Williston’s New Faculty Form Tight Bond

When the 13 new faculty members arrived on campus this year, Dean of Faculty Peter Valine was pleased to see how quickly the group came together. Not only were they highly educated (six have master’s degrees), and dedicated (nine will live on campus to work with the residential program), but they got along. In fact, they established a rapport right from the start, he said.

“Through their orientation process they created an exceptionally tight bond,” Mr. Valine said.  “They supported each other through the orientation program, and really seemed to enjoy each other’s company.”

In a group “distinguished by a true passion for education,” Mr. Valine said he expected the math department to particularly benefit. Three of the new faculty members will be math teachers, including Josh Seamon, the new math department head.

Meet the new faculty for 2013-14:

Carey Baldwin (Math) – Ms. Baldwin joins Williston—and returns to the Pioneer Valley—after teaching and tutoring for the last 10 years in California, and most recently Washington state. She graduated from Mt. Holyoke College with a BA in Physics and Environmental Science. Ms. Baldwin will teach math, and will also be a coach and advisor. Ms. Baldwin and her husband, Brent Visser, will live on campus with their sons Quinn and Sam.

Kate Biddiscombe (English) – Ms. Biddiscombe joins Williston after completing a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She also has a master’s in English Literature from the Breadloaf School of English, and she is a graduate of Colby College with a BA in English and American Studies. Ms. Biddiscombe worked for five years at Choate Rosemary Hall. She will teach English, coach, advise, and live on campus.

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“That Extra Step” Makes Film Fest 6 Winners Shine

Photo courtesy of Ed Hing

If there’s one thing that Ed Hing has noticed over the six years Williston Northampton School has been holding the Film Fest, it’s that entries are getting stronger—and student filmmakers are getting younger.

This year, the annual film festival accepted entries from more schools than ever before, including newcomers Weston High School, Mount Greylock Regional High School, Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School, and Connecticut IB Academy.

Mr. Hing, a fine and performing arts teacher and festival organizer, included a new music video category, which he said was popular among student filmmakers. For the first time, he also opened the festival to submissions from Middle School students.

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Parker ’13 Signs with Oregon Ducks

A lacrosse player who started her career on a boys team—and became one of the finest goalkeepers her coach has ever seen—signed with the University of Oregon on May 17 during a special ceremony at the Williston Northampton School.

Dressed in a bright yellow Oregon sweatshirt, and surrounded by teammates, a beaming Janelle Parker ’13 signed a National Letter of Intent to play at the Division I school. By accepting the scholarship, Ms. Parker let other schools know that she may no longer be recruited.

“This is what I’ve always wanted,” Ms. Parker said. “Everything happens for a reason—and Oregon is that reason.”

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