Bayhill School film festival Not be to missed

Not all students learn that same way, and at Bayhill High school, a nonpublic high school for students with learning differences in the Oakland, California gets that.

Today, Jake Mulliken, who teaches film making and Drama at Bayhill talks about the film making program he started last year, and the up coming film festival that has grabbed the attention of Autism Speaks and other high profile sponsors.

He is the teacher that students and their parents dream of. Here's why:
"I'm fortunate to work at Bayhill High school, a place that is extremely committed to the arts and their importance in allowing our students to achieve their developmental goals as well as provide a well rounded educational foundation."

Bayhill's senior English students, many of whom are in the film program, are required to complete a senior research project as part of their graduation requirement. To add relevance to this assignment students are required to develop an action project that directly relates to their research project. This project could involve volunteering for an organization, designing a fundraiser and raising awareness.

To support this, my film making class designs and puts on The Aquired Taste Film Festival at the Grand Lake Theater here in Oakland. This year's festival is May 24, and we were really excited support from such organizations as Autism Speaks, The Brain Injury Association of California, Disabled American Veterans, and the Grand Lake Theater.

The Acquired Taste Film Festival:

One of the films is by Evan Clark, a senior diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. He's writing his research paper on his diagnosis is filming a 10-15 minute documentary that will premier at the film festival. His documentary focuses on individuals diagnosed with Aspergers, as well as those professionals from around the Bay Area that provide services to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

To aid Evan in his action project, I contacted Autism Speaks and asked if they would be willing to sponsor the event in exchange for a donation of 10% from the festivals profits. They agreed.

Another film to watch for is Mario Perna's documentary about WWII that focuses on a Pearl Harbor survivor named Mickey Ganitch, and the importance of remembering WWII, especially among the younger generation.

About Bayhill:

Bayhill High School is a non-profit WASC-accredited, nonpublic certified high school for students with learning differences in the San Francisco East Bay. The mission of Bayhill High School is to educate a diverse group of students with language-based learning differences, focusing on their individual learning needs, with the goal of maximizing their inherent abilities and their potential to achieve success.

Jake Mulliken:
Is originally from Bowling Green, Kentucky, and has been. He's a member of the Screen Actors Guild, and has appeared on "Breaking Bad" and "In Plain Sight". Jake was on the board of directors at the Santa Fe Playhouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico. While in Santa Fe, he performed in over 13 theater productions including David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross", George Bernard Shaw's "Arms and the Man", and a collection of French horror plays entitled, Le Theatre Du Grand Guignol.

He is proudest of all, however, of the work he does with his students at Bayhill.