The “Project Unknown” Teen Music Group at the Logan Heights Branch Library has been making a local name for itself ever since members came together as a music group last summer. The group performed at the Logan Heights Summer Reading Program Finale, community Fiesta Del Sol event, and at Halloween Festivities. But, the group’s latest achievement has put them on the national scene. This week, in a very competitive contest of 157 videos entries, “Project Unknown” won second runner up (3rd place) in the 13-15 age category in the American Library Association’s (ALA) Why I Need My Library video contest. The group will also receive $1,000 for the Logan Heights Branch Library. The video can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdS8jr_P1FA .
In addition to being members of “Project Unknown,” the six teens who submitted the video (David Gomez, Sirenna Harris, Isabel Madera, Ruben Ochoa, Jocelyn Torres and Amor Velazquez ) are all 13 years old and members of the Logan Heights Branch Library Teen Council. They filmed and edited the video and also wrote and performed their original song about why their library is a special place. They worked on the project for approximately two months meeting at the library two days each week. The teens are students at community schools including Logan K-8, King Chavez Academy of Excellence, Memorial Preparatory and CPMA (Creative Performing Media Arts Middle School). “The video is fun and the music/lyrics are so good,” said Branch Manager Eileen Labrador. “We are very proud of our teens and how actively they advocate for their library.”
The ALA Why I Need My Library contest asked teens ages 13 to 18 to create original videos on why they think libraries are needed now more than ever. Between January and April, more than 600 teens worked on videos alone or in groups and submitted them to the contest through YouTube. Teens used a variety of techniques in their videos, including live action, stop motion and machinima.