87. Filming Freedom: Affton Students Take On C-SPAN

In this episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast Superintendent Travis Bracht highlights an Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. Government and Politics class at Affton High School. Teacher Tony Muyco and several senior students discuss their participation in the C-SPAN documentary project, which celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Students worked individually or in teams to produce six-minute documentaries relating the ideals of the Declaration to either a historical event or a contemporary community issue, with topics ranging from local infrastructure issues like potholes to Bosnian immigration to St. Louis. The students share their challenges, such as scheduling group meetings, their favorite parts of the process, particularly conducting interviews, and what they learned about their respective topics. Mr. Muyco notes that the project, which he has overseen since 2006, now benefits from students' proficiency with modern filming technology like cell phones. This episodes illustrates how students at Affton High School are being encouraged to use creative learning strategies. It also demonstrates how they are applying what they learn to issues that impact their local community.