Schools Rule: Ovid-Elsie students gain experience with documentary project

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Ovid-Elsie High School students received the opportunity to work on a television documentary for “Nova,” a PBS series focusing on science.

“It took so long to get there and we worked so hard to put everything we had together to come up with a final product,” said Genevieve Hills, a junior at Ovid-Elsie.

Genevieve and her classmates have been working on the documentary since November. They’ve been researching and developing and producing environmental stories.

Rubie Sanford, Senior: “It’s a taste of what it will be like when I do it as my career,” said Rubie Sanford, a senior.

PBS editors and producers even traveled to the Michigan town to give students advice.

Genevieve Hills, Junior at Ovid Elsie: “It’s crazy they’re coming all the way out in the middle of the cornfields to talk to us,” Genevieve said.

Instructor Michael Puffpaff thinks being a rural school bettered their chances of getting selected to work on the project. They were one of three schools chosen.

“It’s kind of a once-in-a-career type of situation for me that we had this opportunity,” Puffpaff said. “I’m really grateful for it.”

The students sharpened their writing, interviewing and editing skills.

“It’s definitely been really cool to think about the future after this project,” Genevieve said. “We were able to get like work experience working with professionals.”

It’s an experience they will remember forever.

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