Schools

Capturing a Year: TPHS Senior Makes Film of the Class of 2011's Final Year

Gerardo "Jerry" Sanchez, 18, spent his senior year capturing everyone else's.

senior Gerardo "Jerry" Sanchez knows how he'll introduce his recently completed 40-minute film when he debuts it to the entire senior class this morning.

"The first thing I'm going to say is, 'You're all in this,'" Sanchez said.

For Sanchez, 18, it wasn't enough to videotape every sporting event, every dance, every school play, every pep rally and assembly of the Class of 2011's senior year. He got a list of every senior from the guidance office and made sure everyone got at least a moment of air time.

Find out what's happening in Tinley Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

It's their video, after all.

The Class of 2011 at both TPHS and are graduating tonight. Patch will be updating throughout the day with photos, videos and stories from the ceremonies.

Find out what's happening in Tinley Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

.

While tonight belongs to caps and gowns, thanks to a senior breakfast debut, this morning belongs to the film Sanchez spent all year making. Using a series of cameras (two broke during filming) and an older version of iMovie on a school computer, Sanchez has spent his senior year chronicling everyone else's.

Every event. Every extracurricular. Every sport. Sanchez captured them all.

"I don't think I've been home at 3 o'clock when school gets out all year," Sanchez said.

There have been senior videos for the last several years, but Sanchez said the idea to include everyone came after he found he wasn't in a video shot during his church's youth group retreat to Wisconsin.

As for Sanchez, he's heading to Olivet Nazarene University in the fall to study either journalism or secondary education.

After it debuts today, copies of the film will be made available for $15. That's $5 to cover costs and $10 to a charity Sanchez is currently keeping a surprise.

Click here to go back to "Graduation Central"


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here