What started out as ideas scrawled onto a whiteboard has become a three-minute film involving more than 40 students, faculty, and faculty children. Since the end of October, The Green Initiative, The Hill’s environmental sustainability club has labored to create an entry for the 2012 Green Cup Challenge, a month-long interschool competition to save energy and increase environmental awareness. More than 25 students brainstormed and vetted ideas for the film. Then, promising directors created and shared their vision and storyboard for the film.

View this year's video on YouTube.

Instructor of the Arts Alexander Washington and Director of Sustainability Marie Fechik-Kirk selected Jessica Park '13 and Karin Harvey '13 to direct the film. Both girls have prior experience directing and demonstrated the drive to lead the project to completion. Together, the girls recruited a cast, shared their vision with videographer Zander Metz '12 and guided the cast and crew. After two Sundays of filming and a number of creative meetings, the work had just begun for Christina Martin '12, who teamed with Karin to edit and to add audio to the film.

What proved to be most challenging was making time to work on the film while juggling a full academic schedule and athletics and arts committments. Jessica noted, “We hit rough patches on the way, but I am proud to say that we successfully pulled through with a memorable film that is sure to deserve everyone’s votes!”

Karin, echoed her sentiment and added, “If the film has any kind of positive effect, then it is worth the hard work!”

Green Initiative Co-Heads Kathleen Smith ’12 and Emma Woodcock ’12 hope that everyone in The Hill community watches the film and learns simple ways to reduce energy usage. The girls were excited about saving more than $450 in energy costs compared to last year's Challenge, stating "we will strive to save more over the next few weeks!”

Cast: Steph Barron '14, Michelle Adjangba '13, Claudio De Valle '14, Rusty Drowne, Tanner Eccleston, Tatumn Eccleston, Leon Lixfeld '13, Mr. Fred Schlick, Matt Spenscr, and Calvin Wentling '14

Face Shots: Adam Gross '15, Augustus Sawatzki '12, Brady Lebo, Brett Trumbauer '12, Brian Sacs '12, Calvin Wentling '14, Campbell Neese, Cassidy Jemo '12, Cassie Borelly '13, Cecilia Young, Connor Mushlit '13, Devandria Bernard '14, DJ Shin '12, Hadley Knapp '13, Heather Long '12, Jessica Park '13, Jillian Richards, John Carson '14, Karin Harvey '13, Khatiti Harper '13, Liam Eadie '15, Lillian Cox, Lyndsey Marcheski '12, Mackenzie Neese, Max Opechowski '15, Mr. Scott Lebo, Mr. Alex Washington, Ms. Marie Fechik-Kirk, Mrs. Diane Richards, Patrick Dollhopf, Paul Shiller '14, Peter Knezevich '14, Rachel Pollak '14, Seamus Cheng '12, Solomon Schmidt, Stephanie Barron '14, Stephen Puth '12, Trexler Hirn '14, Will Green '12, Yujin Koh '13, Zander Metz '12.