RVH Film Fest honours schools on red capet

BARRIE — Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) honoured two local schools as part of its annual film festival.

RVH honoured Innisdale Secondary School’s Mackenzie Smyth and her three classmates for their winning film in the Senior category at the health centre’s annual Film Festival awards ceremony. Left, Steve Blake, director of education, SCDSB; Chris Taylor, Innisdale teacher; Paula Murphy, superintendent, SCDSB; and Jennica Hwang, Innisdale teacher.

This year’s theme was: Making Mental Health Matter: How are you making a difference? RVH received an impressive 17 film submissions from local schools all showcasing why mental health remains an important topic for students and teachers.

On hand to present the awards to the winning students was Steve Blake, director of education, Simcoe County District Board. Winning in their respective categories were:

  • Junior Category (K – grade 6): Terry Fox Elementary School -Awe-some-tism Titans
  • Senior Category (grade 7+): Innisdale Secondary School –Polaroid Memories

“With the opening of RVH’s Simcoe Muskoka Regional Child and Youth Mental Health program, we felt it was important that this year’s Film Festival call for submissions related to mental health well-being and/or the importance of having child and youth mental health services in our region,” says Janice Skot, RVH President and CEO. “The students this year certainly embraced that challenge. Not only did they touch on issues like bullying and depression, but many also highlighted the importance of promoting positive mental health among fellow students and the powerful impact that can have on a person’s day. The students inspired not only their classmates, but they’ve inspired us at RVH as well.”

Participating schools this year included Ardagh Bluffs Public School, Innisdale Secondary School, Sister Catherine Donnelly Catholic School, Terry Fox Elementary School and Warnica Public School.

Now in its fifth year, the RVH Film Festival started as a unique way to promote creativity and engagement among staff, physicians and volunteers.

In 2017, the health centre opened up the film festival to the schools in the region, inviting them to participate as well. For staff, physicians and volunteers, it’s an inspiring way to hear from the community it serves while also providing a creative opportunity for students to use the media skills they have learned in school.

Using the RVH Values of Work Together, Respect All, Think Big, Own It and Care as the theme, RVH staff, physicians and volunteers submitted seven films to the film festival.

Winners were selected in three categories:

  • MY CARE Award – Together we can change the world by Security Services
  • Most Creative Award – Top 10 Accreditation Goals by Quality and Risk
  • People’s Choice Award – Thank you from the bottom of our hearts and kidneys by Simcoe Muskoka Regional Heart Program.

All the films are still available for viewing on RVH’s YouTube channel (RVHBarrieON).