Staff Writer

Kylee Solari was the first place winner in the Middle School of the Kennebunks’ iMovie Awards animation category for her Japense style anime short film. Solari drew all the animation in her five-minute film by hand.

Hannah Johnson and her younger brother Griffin Johnson, age 6, came in second place in the animation category for their stop-action short film.

The film used a variety of toys including a Barbie, crayons and stuffed animals.  The Johnsons would slightly move the toys, take a picture and repeat, creating movement to the inanimate objects.

The awards are one of the school’s big spring events. Jason Saltmarsh, technology director for RSU 21 said the school hands out awards to student-made movies in several categories, including science, invention, “foreign film” and “independent film.”

Foreign language classes such as Spanish and French can submit movies into the foreign film category and students who work on their Imovies outside of class submit independent films.

The five-minute films are mostly based around projects inside the classroom.

This year, more than 35 students entered films to the awards and Nick Shuman, technology advisor for the middle school and Jeff Rodman, principal for the middle school, picked winners, but everyone who entered walked away with a tiny gold Oscar trophy.

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.