Ford and Plymouth broadcasting students making memories

By Rusty Nixon

Director of Development and Alumni Affairs

PLYMOUTH - A local business has been a big part of making memories for Plymouth Schools Students for many years and now the broadcasting department of Lincoln Jr. High and PHS are getting those memories on film.

Students in Phil Scott (Lincoln Jr. High) and Dave McKenzie's (Plymouth High School) television production classes were given a task by the Ford Motor Company - make a short film that shows what your local Ford dealership means to your community. The films from schools around the country are to be submitted in conjunction with Ford's "Drive One For Your School" campaign that has teamed Oliver Ford of Plymouth with the schools to raise funds for athletics, band and music programs.

"We were at a little bit of a disadvantage to start with since the other schools were able to actually film the Drive One for Your School events at their schools," said McKenzie of the project. "The production class did a lot of brainstorming about how to get around that problem. It hit me one weekend that Oliver Ford is just as much about making memories as helping schools make money. As involved as Oliver Ford has been in the school and school activities it's a very easy thing to show how they've been a big part of student's memories of their school days."

Live film already on hand of the many promotions that Oliver Ford engages in at sporting events and other times during the school year will be blended with shots staged during a taping session on Thursday afternoon to put together the Plymouth entry. The films will be sent to the Ford Motor Company national headquarters to be judged and the winner could receive as much as $6000 to be donated to the broadcasting department.

Once completed the film will be able to be viewed on YouTube.

"I know that only 75 schools around the country were asked to submit video," said John Oliver III of Oliver Ford. "We're just excited to be a part of it and we're pleased that Mr. Scott and Mr. McKenzie were willing to get their students involved. I know they expressed to us that being able to take the things they work on in the classroom and bring them into some real world practical experience was a great opportunity. We're really happy to be able to help provide that."

"We get out during the year and tape commercials but nothing like this," said McKenzie. "We usually go out in teams of maybe four or five at a time. With the Lincoln students here we probably have 40 or so students involved on this shoot."

Students developed the concept, wrote the script and scheduled the shoot down to the last detail.

"We've got our production schedule planned out right here down to the minute," said Oliver holding up the shoot schedule with a smile, adding. "We're a minute or two off but hey, that's the real world."