Free family photos taken
Students gripping cameras and hair brushes began what teachers hope is a recurring community event in Butler.
In a collaboration between Butler Intermediate High School and the Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School, 32 families from both schools got their family photos taken for free at the vo-tech.
The idea was to present an opportunity to families that might not otherwise have the resources to have family photos taken, though it was open to any family within the two schools.
A pair of teachers got the idea from a teacher conference in Monterey, Calif., earlier this year. Erin Snyder, a math teacher at the IHS, and Laura Milanovich, an IHS science teacher, heard a presentation from a teacher who had organized a similar event. They instantly wanted to replicate it.
“We were sitting there and said, 'We need to get this started in Butler,'” Snyder said.
From there, a web of connections between the two schools developed. The intermediate's student council got involved to organize the logistics. The vo-tech's cosmetology students were tapped to offer free styling for the photos, and the graphics department began creating backdrops and preparing camera gear to shoot the photographs.
Participating families showed up at the vo-tech to be dolled up by the cosmetology students then gathered for their photos.Graphic design students plan to select the best shots from each family, editing the favorites and providing them with copies. They're getting digital versions, one framed 8-by-10-inch photo and two 4-by-6-inch photos.Ronnie Sankey, the intermediate's student council adviser, served as a liaison connecting the student and teacher teams. She said more than a dozen teachers worked to organize the event.In the early moments as they geared up to begin, she sent her husband Ron Sankey, the vo-tech's building construction instructor, to whip up a bench for the families to sit on. He delivered it just in time for the first photo.“We wanted to start small,” Ronnie said, “and grow from here.”The goals are big. The team hopes to hold the events regularly, perhaps even multiple times a year. It may expand to other schools in the Butler Area School District. Another family photo shoot may be held as soon as this spring.The students involved were happy to help.
Maisy Gibson, the 14-year-old president of the IHS student council, said “it feels good to make a difference in other people's day.”Rhyan Deal, the 14-year-old secretary and treasurer, agreed.“It's something different to get student council out in the community,” Deal said.Lee Ann Clutter, the vo-tech's graphic design instructor, said her students hand-painted some of the backdrops in use Tuesday.Her team included Dominique Crawford, 16, Koltyn Domhoff, 19, Haley Skander, 17, Camille Bupp, 16, and Christian DePolo, 15.Crawford and DePolo are Butler students, while the remainder attend the vo-tech through the Seneca Valley School District.Domhoff said his family never really did family photos, and it was nice to see other families getting together for such an occasion.“It warms my heart,” Domhoff said. “It really does.”Milanovich said the idea of gifting families a nice photo together was the whole point.“Everybody is behind the camera these days,” Milanovich said. “Do you really have a picture that has everybody in it? Usually mom or someone is taking the pictures. This gets everybody together.”
