Posted May 31, 2012
In movie-making, it’s all about the story. But sometimes the best story is the one that happens behind the camera.
“I want to be a filmmaker,” 19-year-old Denver Online High School senior Liam Dargen said. There is something about getting behind a camera, directing a shoot, and editing all the pieces together that ignites a passionate spark in him.
He wants to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Steven Spielberg, with his ultimate dream job of becoming a, “film director living the high life in Los Angeles.” While Dargen has been intrigued with movies since he was a kid, giving credit to The Lion King for kick-starting his interest, Dargen contended that his biggest inspiration came from a past teacher, Robert Newman. The piece of wisdom Newman left with Dargen was, “The key to a good story is conflict.” An uncomfortable conflict helps us all appreciate peace; the bad times give context and meaning to the good times.
This same concept may be just as true within the framework of Dargen’s life. While attending a regular brick-and-mortar school, the 6’4″ student struggled with social distractions. He also said one of his largest challenges was attending a camp without his family because it was overwhelming being surrounded by so many strangers. As a result, Dargen transitioned into online schooling. While he started with Colorado Virtual Academy, it lacked social opportunities. This combination led to Dargen finding Denver Online High School. He said Denver Online High School provides, “a more productive way of learning while socializing with people at the same time,” adding, “Online learning is better because you don’t have to face problems with bullies or conflicts with teachers.” Denver Online provided a safe learning environment while offering multiple pathways to meet friends and get connected with other students and organizations. So while traditional school may have been a discouraging conflict in Dargen’s story, online education brought with it a promising resolution.
Dargen is flourishing in school, explaining how he understands concepts much better online than he did before at the traditional school he attended. Because Denver Online HS partners with Emily Griffith Technical College, Dargen also takes classes there, including the hands-on studio production class he is currently enrolled in. Within this class, Dargen is able to work as a production assistant for a school produced television show, Homework Hotline, where students call in to ask teachers homework questions. He also will be required to obtain an internship where he hopes to work at DAP Media Group as a film student helping to shoot and edit videos. Check out one of the videos he produced already by clicking the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJSv8DRYBJk.
Not only is he excelling in his classes, but he is also an active member of the National Honor Society. Through this club, he has been able to practice his public speaking skills and get involved in his community through service work. Just recently, he tried his skills as a home builder with Habitat for Humanity.
His personalized education prepared him for college. He will be applying for the University of Colorado Denver and Metropolitan State University of Denver because of their close proximity to home and their quality film classes. However, he hopes to eventually transfer to Regis to be involved in a film school that he said has been ranked as one of the top 25 film schools in the nation.
Dargen said, “In movies, there are no limitations. Anything can happen.” While this might be true in movies, it also can be true in real life. A good story may have conflict, but the best student stories have happy endings. It’s realizing that every story is unique, and every student’s learning style is unique. Dargen is a great reminder that if we can help students find the right educational path tailored to their learning style, every student has the ability to live their story without limitations.