This guest essay is by Christian Lovelace. Meet Christian, a passionate 17-year-old with a profound love for history. From a young age, he has been captivated by stories of the past, eagerly diving into books and documentaries that bring historical events to life. His curiosity knows no bounds, as he often explores various cultures and time periods, fascinated by how they shape our present and future. Christian dreams of becoming a history teacher, hoping to inspire future generations to appreciate history's lessons and understand their significance. With his enthusiasm and dedication, he is determined to make history not just a subject, but an adventure for his future students.
I am fascinated by The American Revolution and how the original laws and declarations of the founding fathers, people such as Alexander Hamilton, contribute to the year 2025. In History Class, we are comparing the historical context of the Declaration of Independence with the current laws and society. We’re also studying the evolution of the Constitution, and how amendments altered the original draft. In today’s media, I notice a specific concentration on several amendments, especially the right to free speech and to bear arms. As a nation, we’ve completely transformed from using guns for self-defense to using them for the murder of innocent people, and our own selfish gain.
I am also interested that Union soldiers, both black and white, gave up their lives for one reason: the emancipation of slaves and the egalitarian belief that “all men are created equal.” I find interest in researching not just African American culture, but the multiple cultures that populate the United States: Hispanics, Koreans, Eastern and Western Europeans, Asians, Middle-Easterners, and Native Americans. I am passionate about the patterns of United States History, and how the world of the founding fathers slowly evolved into the morally gray society of the 21st Century. I cannot wait to take the Colloquia courses, and analyze the validity of historical works of yesteryear. I look forward to performing my own research in the Seminar Courses. Public History, Memory and Heritage of Slavery speaks to me—you may find me in that course.
On some days, I can see myself working my butt off in the film department in order to complete my double major. I realize that, even with as much personal research as I have done in my past years on the film industry, there are still wide gaps in my knowledge of the world of Communications. In addition to becoming a director, I aspire to be a screenwriter, and gather total creative control of most of my film projects. I wish to learn as much as I can about all of the aspects of filmmaking and media communication. Cinematography, Editing, Journalism, Podcasting, Broadcasting. I’m wild to learn about all of it! I want to explore the history of how films were made from the Silent Film Era to the “Talkies” of the late 1920s and beyond. I sometimes wonder about the trajectory of the industry, and how modern technological innovations changed the way that movies are made. I would like to immerse myself into the world of Special Effects and study how spectacles, like explosions, are created for movies and the complex machinery behind the new and improved IMAX cameras. I can see myself learning about the African Americans who put their fingers in the sands of Hollywood history, from the actor who played “Sam” in Casablanca to the careers of Morgan Freeman and Samuel L. Jackson. I would also like to research how African Americans are reaching into genres like Horror and Comedy, like Jordan Peele’s Get Out and Nia DaCosta’s Candyman. In doing this, I would feel like I could impact the world.
This essay was submitted to the KFM Making a Difference scholarship program, founded by Dr. Kerry Magro to support autistic students pursuing postsecondary education. Publication does not announce a scholarship award.
