Art Students Spread Message With PSA

Students at the Deborah Brown Community School have turned an animation project into a new public service announcement about their school, and the importance of arts in education. News On 6's Rick Wells reports along the way, they learned not only about art, but also teamwork, pride and accomplishment.

"Art is what we are: powerful, strong, intelligent, beautiful," said Deborah Brown Community School student, Dwight Peters.

Dwight Peters is one of about 60 students at the Deborah Brown Community School who worked on the project.

"We think it's important for them to learn the basic concepts," said animator, Regina Goodwin.

Concepts like, how a ball gets from point A to point B. Then, how to draw the animation of that, one image at a time. Then, learn how that becomes a second of animation.

"There are 30 frames of video per second, but 15 drawings. That is because 2 times 15 is 30 and the photographer takes each picture twice," said Deborah Brown Community School student, Willis Humphrey.

So, art and math are combined. Regina Goodwin is a professional animator. She came in once a week to tutor the students on the project.

"This was a year-long project for us," said Goodwin.

It was hard little pieces at a time. Amaris Adkins drew the arms on one little man.

"It took some time to understand what to do. How you had to draw the hands at first. When he holds his hand up, you have to draw his hands like this," said Deborah Brown Community School student, Amaris Adkins.

They had to be the same length each time. Detail was very important. Wells wanted to see the finished animation. They told him they had it all cued up down the hall. So, off they went to the cafeteria.

While other students enjoyed a sandwich, he enjoyed the animation. Wells is very proud of the work they've done and they should be too.

Click on the Web Extra Video to see the entire public service announcement.