O’NEALS — Like our local first responders, Minarets annual all-school lip dub has gone above and beyond.
First things first. A ‘lip dub’ is a type of creative expression that combines lip sync and audio dubbing to make a music video, and on Thursday, April 11 the entire Minarets student body and staff did just that.
The lip dub is offered as a shout-out to local firefighters, law enforcement and paramedics. In an epic presentation worthy of its cause, personnel from Cal Fire, Madera County Fire, Madera County Sheriff, CHP, and the Sierra National Forest joined the Minarets student body as they sang Holding Out For A Hero by Bonnie Tyler.
Overflowing with school spirit and celebrated with dance, it was a rendition that sent a strong message of support for local heroes — and put a smile on our faces that lasted until the very end. In the process of production, Minarets students raised $250 for the nonprofit Wildland Firefighter Organization.
“I am thrilled with the student body at Minarets and all of the emergency personnel that came out to be a part of this,” says Minarets principal Daniel Ching.
Photo courtesy Daniel Ching
Production logistics were a collaboration involving Minarets media teacher Juan Ortiz, leadership teacher Ben Regonini, director of charter Patrick Wilson, and Minarets Media students. Exuberantly filmed and slickly edited by students Josiah Freeland, Mandi V., Emma Lynch, and Ryan Abner, all 500 students and 30-plus staff members at Minarets were part of this process. It’s one that has become an annual tradition at Minarets.
The finger popping video highlights many programs throughout the school and was filmed using top-notch cameras from the school’s award-winning media program. The last shot, arguably a highlight of the film, was enabled using a drone. After collaborating with some of these first responder groups for the recent Every 15 Minutes program, people on campus were said to be excited to do something fun and lighthearted for a change.
“As a former Crane Valley Hotshot crew member myself and a brother of firefighters, I am very proud to stand in support of our emergency personnel,” says Principal Ching. “All of us have friends and family who put their lives on the line for our safety. As a principal I am so proud that we could direct a cast of five-hundred students who enthusiastically put so much energy into pulling this off. I am a proud Mustang.”
