Digital Knight showcases high school’s best talent
No matter if their talent was in making music videos or in 3D design, the most talented digital arts students and their works were on full display as North Fort Myers High School presented it second annual Digital Knight competition in the media room, a big part of a very busy evening at the high school.
Digital Knight highlighted the best work of the students in the categories of best 3D model, best 3D animation, best game, best graphic design, best Red Knight item, best photo manipulation, best music video, best commercial and best Web site.
“They’ve been working on this all year and the teachers picked the best work. We also had professional judges and teachers from other schools critique the work,” said Jennifer Curls, 3D animation and design teacher.
With the competition more fierce, earning top honors was an even bigger accomplishment. Senior Brandon Makar earned top honors in the 3D model category with his replica of the X-wing fighter from “Star Wars.”
“It was exciting, very time consuming, but not as physically tough as football,” Maker said, who played quarterback for the Red Knights.
Senior Hanna Kline has shown such talent she will attend Full Sail University next year on a $25,000 scholarship. She won in graphic design for her depiction of Princess Anna from the movie “Frozen.”
“I’m looking to get into game art. I’m working on my artwork so I can be more prepared for it,” Kline said. “I’ve already done illustration for someone’s book.”
The prizes were also much better, thanks to the generosity of Victory Layne Chevrolet, which sponsored the prizes. First place for most categories received a Samsung Chromebook, Digital Knight pen and cup, and a Digital Knight T-shirt.
First place for Best Music Video and Best Commercial got GoPro Video software.
Cameron Haffner won for best music video, looking every bit like something you would have seen on MTV in its glory days.
“It was an idea from a new school called Marco Island Academy and they wanted a music video to inspire the kids,” Haffner said. “I got the band, the script and we shot it for the school.”
The winners of best photo manipulation and best graphic design also won an internship at Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, while the winners of best music video and best commercial also earned internships at NBC2 and ABC7 television stations in Fort Myers.
Second-place winners got a pair of LG wireless headphones, a Digital Knight pen and T-shirt. Third-place earned a Digital Knight cup and T-shirt and movie passes.
“It’s a great way to showcase our kids and what they do with computers and games. It’s a great way for parents to come and see what their kids are doing,” Principal Dale Hauchin said. “We have some talented kids here and it’s only going to get better next year.”
The packed parking lot was proof of a very busy evening. In the gym, incoming freshmen and current students went to the “Sports Knight” event, where students and parents got to meet the coaches and sign up for whatever sport suited their fancy.
In the auditorium was a performance by the North Fort Myers orchestra, which proved to be a last performance for the seniors in front of family and friends.