Winners announced on Friday, May 10th! Visit this page to see winners and celebrate with us at Recognition Night...
First Place
"From Isolation to Exploration"
By Ellie Gray Kenney: University of New Hampshire
Professor: Krista Jackman
From the Student: I created a digital publication of a personal narrative that investigates the evilution of my love of adventure. I hope my viewers can grasp the importance of adventure and new perspectives.
From the Judges:
"From Isolation to Exploration" addresses a theme that we can all relate to: what we learned and how we changed from the experience of living through a pandemic. In Ellie's case, the isolation taught her about the importance of taking a risk, seeking adventure, connecting with others, and embracing the outdoor experience.
Ellie opens with a clever narrative structure of clattering type appearing on the screen and uses this structure to drive the narrative throughout (love the way the period is used on the title screen!). The short clips at the beginning immediately bring us to the shared experience of those first months of COVID isolation, while later stills and video images clearly connect us with her sense of release and the expansion of her world. Good music choices draw the narrative together.
Second Place
"Ameland Paal 10"
By Kathelijne Lieve Knuttel: University of New Hampshire
Professor: Krista Jackman
From the Student: My video explores the significance that Ameland, as an island, holds for my family. How it all started with my grandfather and grandmother and then really became a family place where a lot of fun but also sad memories were made. Throughout the video, I showcase some of these memories, with an emphasis on a special place on the island: "Paal 10".
From the Judges: The lovely, peaceful, elegiac quality of the Ameland piece, really touched us. The visuals (and wave sounds!) really gave us a sense of the beauty of the island while the family pictures and narrative helped us to understand how much the island meant to Knuttel's grandparents and to her whole family. The organizing theme of Paal 10, as the marker anchoring her family to the island was very effective. Such a loving memorial!
Third Place
"Digital Slave Narrative Exhibit”
By Madison Bonneville:
River Valley Community College
Professor: Cara Chanoine
https://sway.cloud.microsoft/HfXAiBqe9BD2NKHo?ref=Link
From the student: The goal of this project was to create a digital exhibit using Microsoft Sway that includes artifacts relevant to Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs and, more broadly, the collective memory of slavery in the United States.
From the Judges: "Digital Slave Narrative Exhibit” …who used ten artifacts to examine "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" by Harriet Jacobs. Bonneville blends photos, artwork, song, architecture, and film into a strong argument that makes the realities of enslavement come alive to the audience. Her introduction draws in the reader, while her connections to modern-day protests highlight the spirit of resistance against systemic oppression that spans the centuries.
First Place
"This is UNH 100 years ago"
By: Stephen H. Bentzlin, Eve A. Huot, Victoria N. Ndungu, Ana N. Nikolenko, Julianna F. Pascuccio, Sydney L. Vlach
University of New Hampshire
Professor: Melinda White
From the students:This is a virtual exhibit of a photography collection that is currently on display at the Diamond Library at UNH, which is titled This Is UNH 100 Years Ago. In the class Intro to Digital Humanities (English 510), my group worked closely with Kai Uchida in the University Archives to create a guided, 360 degree virtual tour of the exhibit.
From the Judges: A dynamic presentation that draws on historical archives, visual technology, and writing skills to bring archival materials to life. The work is well designed, organized, and showcases interpretive skills. The design is not only creative, but immersive, and the project as a whole represents a compelling and dynamic twist on conventional models of archival.
Second Place
UNH Virtual Mural and Sculpture
By: Lauren E. Barnes, Jason Drinan, Ava Garcia, Logan Lamay, Alexander M. Maly, Lily M. McDonough, Alexa S. Prewitt, Mark J. Shaw, Olivia J. Teague
University of New Hampshire
Professor: Melinda White
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?ll=43.14094705807323%2C-70.92815138358166&z=15&mid=15Db08Z_456WUZz7e3ZU3pQV7D_WeGlE
From the students: This project was created to provide a virtual tour guide of the murals and sculptures on the UNH Durham campus. It shows the walking routes to each piece and provides descriptions of each one along with the artists. We were hoping to help people who may not be able to see them in person as well!
From the Judges: Students showcase the work of artists and the importance of the arts in public spaces, drawing attention to a variety of media with geographical details included. By creating a unified, accessible, and engaging virtual exhibition space, these students have provided a valuable resource for their community.
Third Place
“Exploring Museums Nationwide”
By: Natalia Rivera
Professor: Melinda White
University of New Hampshire
From the Student: For my final project in ENGL: 501.01, “Introduction to Creative Nonfiction” instructed by Melinda White, I created a perfect adventure for the nerdy yet adventurous people out there. For this hypertext project, I crafted the ultimate cross-country road trip schedule, viewing some of the nation’s popular museums. By utilizing Thinglink, I was able to connect various pages infused with audiobooks, images, text, and music to create the ultimate immersive journey.
From the Judges:
The interwoven modalities in this project speak to the creator's goal of creating an immersive experience! the author weaves the personal and societal importance of the arts together with the elegance and the warmth of human connection.
First Place
“Through-threads,”
By: Casey Dow
University of New Hampshire
Professor: Melinda White
From the Student: The piece features descriptions and reflections on my (mostly) recent life and the lives around me. I traced images of my desk at home as a setting for my work and created sketches of my home, my friends, and my memories to accompany short bursts of writing.
From the Judges: In this digital story, the reader is invited to explore the writer’s desk. Inside an open drawer or under a small object, we find a slice of memory, poems of places and discoveries, brief narratives about childhood and “mom” that unfold like paper letters beneath our cursor.
Second Place
“Nostalgic Cartography: Mapping my Heart’s Journey”
By: Merlim Llanes
University of New Hampshire
Professor: Melinda White
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?hl=en&mid=1B-ri-MceMaOSsPatDWbaOe_L3-9CNcI&ll=47.591382970612884%2C-76.49907985000002&z=4
From the student: This project is a map essay describing my heart's journey trying to find a place to call home. The text addresses topics such as displacement and feelings that can overwhelm many immigrants, presented from my personal experience.
From the Judges: As the writer weaves a story map from Casa, Cuba to Durham, New Hampshire, we are on an intimate journey, invited to share in the truth of the travel and the storytellers search for, and return to, home.
Third Place
“The Impact of Music on My Identity”
By: Cam Slide
University of New Hampshire
Professor: Melinda White
From the Student: During the second unit of Melinda White's ENGL 501: Introduction to Creative Nonfiction course during the spring 2024 semester, I created a Snapshot Video Essay depicting the impact of music on my identity throughout my childhood. I wrote the script and proceeded to record, edit, and compile all media together in iMovie.
From the Judges: There is a simplicity to this digital story’s setting, white door and walls, that leaves us with the tenor of the writer’s voice and the quality of their reflection. The storyteller uses home movie and concert footage like memory, woven into the writing like flashbacks and flashbulbs
First Place
The Eye
By: Skyler Boudreau
New Hampshire Technical Institute (NHTI) - Concord
Professor: Drew Edwards
https://www.nhteye.com/
From the students: This project is a complete website redesign for The Eye, NHTI's student literary journal. Initially, the redesign focused purely on modernization and navigational improvements, but quickly evolved into a larger endeavor. The Eye's new website features artwork, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry by NHTI students, a series of video discussions between students and faculty on topics including censorship in the United States and "controversial" books such as Maia Kobabe's graphic novel Gender Queer, and also compiles several special digital editions of The Eye themed around modern social issues.
From the Judges: A beautifully executed and deep dive into types of censorship. The Eye continues to thrive as a top quality venue that not only tackles big subjects but does so through a laudable integration of media types
Second Place
“ARTIFICIAL: Media Production in the Age of AI”
By: Alec D. Dubois
University of New Hampshire
Professor: Michael Soha
From the student: "ARTIFICIAL: Media Production in an Age of AI" is a thesis documentary examining how artificial intelligence is being used to enhance the media production process, and what the implications are for human creativity. The project looks at what AI tools are already being used in various aspects of production, what government regulation may be necessary, and what are the broader ethical concerns when thinking about the role of AI in an industry of imagination. The film integrates research, an online survey, and a multitude of interviews conducted with media professionals.
From the Judges: Tackling an issue currently in vogue, Dubois’ project doesn’t simply rehash the main issues but rather sources direct interviews with fascinating minds in media, an ambitious approach that pays huge dividends.
Third Place
Women as Meat
By: Julia M. Danielson
University of New Hampshire
Professor: Gary Schultz
From the Student: My digital project uses an interplay of video and sound to create a message and evoke strong feelings in the viewer. The inspiration came from the idea that women are often referred to as "pieces of meat". I blended multiple songs and audios to create a personalized soundtrack for the video. I edited videos together in a structure that increases the drama of the project.
From the Judges: Conceptually and visually a huge success, Danielson’s video seamlessly integrates not only a variety of images and videos but also synthesizes various visual mediums with the video’s core, important message.