Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss wants to increase the city’s tree canopy, and Grand Rapids Public Schools students are helping her do it using a green lens. Students from four GRPS high schools created a public service announcement called “Breathe” in support of the Mayor’s Greening Initiative, a venture with Friends of Grand Rapids Parks that aims to increase the city’s tree canopy from 35 percent to 40 percent. The PSA will debut at the Friday, July 7 Movies in the Park at Ah-Nab-Awen Park, featuring “Mrs. Doubtfire” (7 p.m.) and “Forrest Gump” (9:30 p.m.).
The Mosaic Film Experience facilitated the collaboration between the city, video production professionals and students from the West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology program. WMCAT students met this spring with Mayor Bliss and representatives of Gorilla, a film and video production company, and the creative marketing agency Carbon Stories. After Bliss challenged students to create something that encouraged others to get involved, students worked with Gorilla and Carbon Stories staffers to plan, shoot and producethe PSA.
“I had a sneak peek at the PSA and I was truly impressed with what our talented students created,” Bliss said.
Students from City High, Grand Rapids Montessori, Innovation Central and C.A. Frost were involved. The PSA will be featured at the remaining Movies in the Park evenings through mid-August.
