By Khalida Sarwari
It’s been a whirlwind year for Gregg Witkin. Success inside the digital media classroom he teaches at the Campbell Union High School District’s Boynton Continuation High School in San Jose has led him to some unexpected destinations, from competitions around the country to the state Capitol in Sacramento.
Next up: Prague, Czech Republic, where Witkin, 40, will represent the country at the “Partners in Learning Global Forum” in November.
The vehicle that led him to those heights was his “Finding Youth Voice” project, an initiative he began to help his students explore ideas and messages that are important to them and bring those topics to life with the help of technology. Witkin encourages his students to create documentaries, stop-motion films and music video graphics to tell their individual stories.
“Right now I have one student creating a documentary film about going blind. He’s losing sight in both eyes, so we’re going to explore what it’s like to go blind at 16, his fears, his life,” said Witkin. “He’s going to interview his doctor, his family and put it together and tell a story.”
Another student is working on a documentary film about what it’s like to come from a biracial family, and another is creating a photo essay depicting a variety of couples in San Francisco.
Witkin sits down with each student one-on-one and discusses what it means to find their voice or think for themselves in order to create a project that is meaningful to them. He assists the students with the drafting and writing aspects of their projects, gives them the equipment they need–whether that be HD cameras or the Adobe Photoshop program–and then turns them loose.
The students, Witkin said, do the most important work.
“The students lead, and I just help,” he said. “The idea and the creative ideas typically come from them, and I help them refine them. They’re the ones who ultimately are the true stars of the program.”
This year marks Witkin’s 16th year at Boynton and his 12th teaching technology. He previously taught economics, but now focuses solely on digital media.
“Once I started doing media, it really brought a lot of life in my world,” Witkin said. “It just invigorated me. I look forward to going to work every day.”
Witkin is one of 11 U.S. teachers and the only educator from California selected to move on to the global forum. There, he’ll have an opportunity to showcase his projects in front of 500 teachers from around the world and learn how they have used technology to change the lives of their students.
“I have no expectations other than to go, present, have a great time and hopefully represent my school and district well,” Witkin said.
In April, he entered the Microsoft-sponsored Innovator Educator Competition in Los Altos Hills, and was one of three chosen to advance to the national contest in Seattle, Wash., in July.
In the midst of the competitions and the beginning of his 16th year teaching at the continuation school, Witkin was invited to the state Capitol on Aug. 16 where Sen. Elaine Alquist honored him with a California Senate Resolution commending him for his achievements.
“That was super exciting,” Witkin recalled. “I didn’t expect it and didn’t know what it was all about.” Being recognized in Sacramento and having senators come up afterward to shake his hand was humbling, said Witkin.
“It certainly made me feel that all the work I had done up to this point working at my school district was worth it. It really reinforced why I was a teacher.”
Before he leaves for Prague, Witkin will be honored by Sid Espinosa, former Palo Alto mayor and current director of corporate citizenship for Microsoft, at the Campbell Union High School District office on Sept. 20.
