germinatefilmfest

Deadline to Submit Photos and Films to Germinate International Film Festival is June 30, 2019

Brooke Beam, PhD

Ohio State University Extension, Highland County

Agriculture and Natural Resources/Community Development Extension Educator

 

June 25, 2019

 

The deadline to submit a photo or film to the Germinate International Film Fest (GIFF) is rapidly approaching on June 30, 2019. Photographs and films related to agriculture, the environment, food, natural resources, workforce development, and rural communities will be accepted for the competition. Entries can be submitted through www.filmfreeway.com/GerminateInternationalFilmFest.

This is the inaugural year for the GIFF, and it is the only film festival in the United States focused on agriculture production, the environment, and rural communities. Local submissions will receive a priority to participate in the competition. Photographs can include any subject matter as long as it relates to the festival theme. Entries from photographers and filmmakers of all skill levels and ages will be accepted.

Photographs and video of crop production, livestock, waterfalls, 4-H projects, architectural buildings, and community organizations are appropriate for competition. If you have additional questions, contact Brooke Beam at 937-393-1918 or via email at beam.49@osu.edu.

Tickets will be available for the Germinate International Film Fest in early July. The Ohio State University Extension Office of Highland County is looking forward to hosting you in Hillsboro, Ohio, for a fun-filled weekend related to agriculture, rural communities, local foods, photography, and film on August 16 and 17, 2019.

 

Upcoming Events:

Leadership Highland applications will be accepted through July 15, 2019. Applications can be obtained through the Ohio State University Extension, Highland County website or by visiting the office. For more information about the Leadership Highland program, contact Brooke Beam at 937-393-1918.

A Hops Workshop will be held on July 18, 2019. Cost to attend is $30.00 per person. The workshop will include lunch and a tour of Old Dutch Hops. Preregister at 937-393-1918 or visit the Highland County Extension office. The workshop will be held at the Ponderosa Center at 545 S. High Street, Hillsboro, OH.

Highland County Tourism at the Ohio Statehouse

Brooke Beam, PhD

Ohio State University Extension, Highland County

Agriculture and Natural Resources/Community Development Extension Educator

May 8, 2019

The Ohio State University Extension Office of Highland County and the Visitors Bureau of Highland County partnered to develop and implement an interactive experience for the Tourism Ohio Day on the Ohio Statehouse lawn on May 8, 2019.
Tourism Ohio Day is an annual event held in Columbus that highlights locations for visitors and residents to plan Ohio vacations. Annually there are more than 100 booths displayed on the statehouse lawn.
The Extension Office helped develop a virtual reality experience highlighting locations to eat, play, and stay in Highland County. The virtual reality experience was shown at the Tourism Ohio Day and is also available below through YouTube.

For more information about Tourism Ohio Day, the virtual reality experience, or any of the upcoming Extension programs, contact the Highland County Extension Office at 937-393-1918.

Upcoming Programs:

A Hands-on filmmaking workshop will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at 3 P.M.at the Lynchburg Library. Bring your own camera and tripod for this walking filmmaking workshop. RSVP to the OSU Extension Office at 937-393-1918.

A Video Editing Workshop will be held on Tuesday, May 28, 2019, at 3 P.M. at the Lynchburg Library. This workshop will teach basic editing principles on both laptops and mobile devices. Bring your own computer or mobile device to participate. RSVP to the OSU Extension Office at 937-393-1918.

A Hops Workshop will be held on July 18, 2019. Cost to attend is $30.00 per person. The workshop will include lunch and a tour of Old Dutch Hops. Preregister at 937-393-1918 or visit the Highland County Extension office. The workshop will be held at the Ponderosa Center at 545 S. High Street, Hillsboro, OH.

The Germinate International Film Fest will be accepting submissions through June 30, 2019. The festival will be held on August 16 & 17, 2019, in Hillsboro, Ohio. For more information or to apply, visithttps://filmfreeway.com/GerminateInternationalFilmFest. Contact Brooke Beam at the OSU Extension Office for more information at 937-393-1918.

 

Upcoming Woodlands Programming

Brooke Beam, PhD

Ohio State University Extension, Highland County

Agriculture and Natural Resources/Community Development Extension Educator

April 29, 2019

 

Do you or a family member have woodlands that you are considering selling timber from? Do you have questions about what may be the right decision for your property? Join the OSU Extension Office of Highland County and guest speakers of Dave Apsley, Brad Wireman, and Bob Mulligan for an evening of woodland related topics.

The program will be held on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at 6 P.M. in the Large Meeting Room of 119 Governor Foraker Place, Suite 202, Hillsboro, Ohio. The cost to attend is $10.00 per person and RSVPs are required to 937-393-1918 at the OSU Extension Office. Food will be included in the program fee.

Selling timber isn’t something that woodland owners should take lightly. This program is designed to help landowners make decisions that will have a positive influence on their woodland. Topics that will be included in the program include:

  • matching the harvest to your goals,
  • marketing your timber,
  • reasons to cut trees,
  • which trees and when to cut,
  • best management practices,
  • timber stand improvement,
  • Ohio Master Logger program,
  • and timber prices and trends.

For more information or to RSVP for this program, contact the OSU Extension Office of Highland County at 937-393-1918.

 

Upcoming Programs:

A Hands-on filmmaking workshop will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at 3 P.M. at the Lynchburg Library. Bring your own camera and tripod for this walking filmmaking workshop. RSVP to the OSU Extension Office at 937-393-1918.

A Video Editing Workshop will be held on Tuesday, May 28, 2019, at 3 P.M. at the Lynchburg Library. This workshop will teach basic editing principles on both laptops and mobile devices. Bring your own computer or mobile device to participate. RSVP to the OSU Extension Office at 937-393-1918.

The Germinate International Film Fest will be accepting submissions through June 30, 2019. The festival will be held on August 16 & 17, 2019, in Hillsboro, Ohio. For more information or to apply, visit https://filmfreeway.com/GerminateInternationalFilmFest. Contact Brooke Beam at the OSU Extension Office for more information at 937-393-1918.

Leadership Highland Education Day

Leadership Highland participants at Laurel Oaks aviation hangar.

Members of Leadership Highland toured Laurel Oaks Vocational School in Wilmington, Ohio. Pictured from left to right are: Michelle Unsworth, Liz Brennfleck, Mike Hart, Brooke Beam, Mat Greene, Melissa Elmore, and Destiny Bryson.

Article by Michelle Unsworth, Leadership Highland participant

Photographs contributed by Brooke Beam, OSU Extension, Highland County

Leadership Highland spent their March meeting exploring local education by touring four schools and interacting in panel discussions. The panels discussed serving on a school board, The Southern Ohio Education Service Center, and challenges facing our local superintendents. The participants of Leadership Highland joined the participants of Leadership Clinton for part of the day to discuss the joint educational services offered to both counties.

Dr. Kevin Boys, President of Southern State Community College, hosted participants of Leadership Highland and Leadership Clinton at the SSCC Wilmington Campus for the panel discussions.

Dr. Kevin Boys, President of Southern State Community College, hosted participants of Leadership Highland and Leadership Clinton at the SSCC Wilmington Campus for the panel discussions.

Southern State Community College (SSCC) was the first stop of the day. Dr. Kevin Boys, President of SSCC, discussed enrollment and trends. Boys discussed the trend of lower community college enrollment rates when the job market is booming. When the economy shifts, people become more interested in learning a new skill to remain an employable candidate. Since unemployment is low, SSCC’s enrollment is 2,455 students, of which sixty-seven percent attend part-time. Boys also discussed the College Credit Plus program in which High School students take college classes.

Mike Hart led the participants of Leadership Highland on a tour of Laurel Oak's campus to see the variety of programs offered.

Mike Hart led the participants of Leadership Highland on a tour of Laurel Oak’s campus to see the variety of prorgams offered.

Laurel Oaks Vocational campus was the second tour of the day. Mike Hart, Assistant Principal, explained that many of the programs offered at Laurel Oaks maintain enrollment around 25 students per program and acceptance is competitive. Criteria such as GPA and attendance determine acceptance decisions. Laurel Oaks school provides students with a way to earn certificates and experience so they are prepared to enter the workforce directly after high school graduation.

Participants of Leadership Highland and Leadership Clinton, along with Dr. Kevin Boys and the tour guides from Wilmington College, prior to the walking tour of the Wilmington College campus.

Participants of Leadership Highland and Leadership Clinton, along with Dr. Kevin Boys and the tour guides from Wilmington College, prior to the walking tour of the Wilmington College campus.

Wilmington College was the third stop of the day. The history of the college and the facilities were showcased through a tour of the private school’s campus. Wilmington College offers financial assistance programs to entice local students to stay local during college. The goal after college is for graduates to accept jobs and remain local residents.

Mr. Jason Potts, principal of McClain High School, provided a tour of the historic high school.

Participants of Leadership Highland also traveled to Greenfield Exempted Village School District to tour the McClain High School with Mr. Jason Potts, the High School Principal. In addition to being one of Highland County’s high schools, the school is unique in the sense that it is historic and is home to an extensive art collection.

The superintendent panel addressed educational challenges in modern society. The panel explained how our educational system is vastly different than it was ten years ago. A huge concern is that today’s children are not prepared to be successful. There has been an increase in social and emotional issues that children are experiencing in life, which hinders the learning process. Issues such as poverty, drug abuse, neglect, and social media can leave students emotionally traumatized. Schools are no longer teaching kids solely academics, as schools must adjust their way of thinking and prepare kids to be successful in school and life. Mindy McCarty Stewart, Wilmington City Schools Superintendent, explained how Wilmington’s schools train all teachers (K-12) in trauma training so they know how to interact with children of drug abuse or other emotional issues. They are also using restorative practice training to reintegrate students and involve the parents regarding issues. For example, simply suspending a student does not help anyone, having them take ownership of their actions and learn from it is a better approach.

The big lesson of the day was learning that schools K-12 are evolving to keep up with the social and environmental trends many students face when they are home. Schools have adapted to meet societal needs. Our educational systems are working hard to teach children things they may not have learned at home or to find ways to relate to traumatized children so they open up to learning. This is essential so our young children have opportunities later in life to participate in College Credit Plus programs, attend vocational schools and eventually be ready to attend college if that is their best choice.

The next meeting of Leadership Highland will be a tour of the Ohio Statehouse in April. For more information about Leadership Highland, contact the OSU Extension Office of Highland County at 937-393-1918.

 

Upcoming Programs:

Join the Highland County Extension Support Committee for the annual Extension/4-H Fundraiser on Saturday, April 6, 2019, in the Rabbit & Poultry Barn at the Highland County Fairgrounds. The dinner will begin at 6 PM. Dinner costs: ages 11 and up are $10.00, ages 4 – 10 are $7.00, and ages 3 and under are $3.00. For more information, contact Kathy Bruynis at 937-393-1918. Donations are appreciated.

Global Climate Change Update with Dr. Thomas Blaine will be held on April 25, 2019, at 6 PM in the Large Meeting Room in the basement of 119 Governor Foraker Place, Hillsboro, OH. Come and learn about the history of climate change, its currents trends, and outlook. Hear how it applies to your backyard, farm, and everyday life. RSVP to reserve your seat by calling 937-393-1918.

Forage Webinar with Christine Gelley will be held on April 30, 2019, at 5 PM in the Large Meeting Room in the basement of 119 Governor Foraker Place, Hillsboro, OH. Gelley will discuss a variety of forage-related topics to help you prepare for the 2019 growing season and upcoming winter. This webinar will provide information for both hay and livestock producers. RSVP to reserve your seat by calling 937-393-1918.

The Germinate International Film Fest will be accepting submissions through June 30, 2019. The festival will be held on August 16 & 17, 2019, in Hillsboro, Ohio. For more information or to apply visit https://filmfreeway.com/GerminateInternationalFilmFest. Contact Brooke Beam at the OSU Extension Office of Highland County at 937-393-1918.

Germinate International Film Fest Coming Soon!

Germinate International Film Fest promotional posterCome one, come all to the Germinate International Film Fest, featuring a diverse range of films highlighting agriculture and rural communities! The Highland County Office of OSU Extension is pleased to announce the inaugural festival will be held on August 16 and 17, 2019, in Hillsboro, Ohio. Germinate means to grow and the purpose of this film festival is to grow knowledge about agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.

Historically, researchers have found that rural communities and the agricultural industry have been depicted in entertainment media as outdated, having unrealistic portrayals, and as fodder for comedic material in film and television programming. However, online streaming platforms, such as Netflix, Hulu, and Apple iTunes, have recently curated sections of films related to food production and culinary expertise. These curated films represent consumer’s desire to want to learn more about how their food was prepared and where it was grown. The Germinate International Film Fest seeks to aggregate films that represent rural communities and their associated industries in an accurate manner, including current technologies, practices, and programs.

The concept behind the Germinate International Film Fest is to provide a forum for open discussion about agricultural, environmental, and rural community development topics important to the public. While rural areas represent 97 percent of the United States’ landmass, only 19.3 percent of the population resides in a rural area. Less than two percent of the nation’s population identifies as farmers. This film festival will provide an opportunity to showcase the agricultural industry from the perspective of agricultural producers, researchers, and rural community members.

Rural communities face many challenges. Germinate International Film Fest seeks films that will highlight the resiliency of rural communities and the individuals who are making these communities thrive. Does your community have a fabulous community garden? An engaged non-profit determined to increase technology in schools? Any programs that set your community apart from others? If so, we want you to tell their story and share it via a film at the festival.

While there are thousands of film festivals in the world, Germinate International Film Fest is different because these films will be selected based upon their ability to tell a compelling and logical story, as well as providing factual information about the topic being discussed. The festival will fill a void in current festival line-ups to highlight rural communities and the natural environments and industries surrounding them. Ten percent of the selected films will be sourced from local filmmakers from Ohio, allowing for attendees of the festival to be able to connect with local producers and filmmakers from the area surrounding Highland County, Ohio. Filmmakers of all skill and expertise levels are encouraged to apply. Additionally, there will be a still photography division for additional competition.

Film submissions will be accepted for the following categories:

  • Short Documentary: 59 minutes or less
  • Feature Documentary: 60 minutes or more
  • Short Narrative: 59 minutes or less
  • Feature Narrative: 60 minutes or more
  • A short of any kind: 20 minutes or less
  • Virtual Reality: 20 minutes or less
  • Photography:
    • Agriculture
    • Nature or the environment
    • Rural communities
  • Student Films: collegiate and graduate student-produced films
  • Youth: any filmmaker that is under 18.
  • Scholarly and/or Extension

Submissions are encouraged for all styles and methods of film production, including but not limited to: aerial cinematography, stop-motion, animation, and live action. Applicants are encouraged to use their creativity and imagination for the cinematic direction of their submissions.

Do you have a film or photograph that would be a great addition to the festival? If so, we welcome you to apply through https://filmfreeway.com/GerminateInternationalFilmFest. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2019.

Southern State Community College will host the screenings of the festival at their central campus in Hillsboro, Ohio. Hillsboro is located about an hour from Dayton, Cincinnati, and Columbus, making the location for the Germinate International Film Fest an easy commute from any of Ohio’s metropolitan areas. In addition to the live screenings of films, attendees will be able to participate in a series of hands-on workshops related to video production, photography, agriculture, natural resources, astronomy, and community development topics. The workshops will be held at various locations throughout Highland County.

For more information about the festival, contact the Highland County Office of OSU Extension at 937-393-1918. Tickets will be available for purchase in July through the Highland County Extension Office.