By Michael O’Day
Department of Defense Education Activity Americas
LAUREL BAY — On Thursday, May 30, 2024, at a red-carpet event Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Bolden Elementary/Middle School’s 8th-grade class premiered a unique and inspiring movie project that combined literature and digital imagery. Based on the TED Talk “One Second Every Day,” students captured one-second video clips of their daily lives for 60 days. This innovative project highlights the value of every moment and has significant implications for educational and military communities.
“Students were able to showcase their everyday experiences into a powerful narrative to showcase their creativity and make connections with others,” said Jennifer Hall, Educational Technologist Instructional Support Specialist for the DoDEA Southeast District.
Initially inspired by a TED Talk, the “One Second Every Day” project required students to document their lives through brief, daily video snippets. Bolden’s 8th graders embraced this concept, recording moments from their lives over two months. The result is a powerful compilation that offers a profound perspective on the passage of time and the significance of everyday experiences.
“The video diary provided students an opportunity to appreciate and view the world through their lens,” said Shunta Carter-Lacey, a teacher at Bolden. “They realized the opportunities they have with today’s digital tools to produce audio visuals diaries, unlike the pen and paper used by their ancestors.”
To deepen the project’s impact, students linked their video stories with “The Diary of Anne Frank,” a text they studied in class. This connection underscores the power of personal storytelling and the importance of documenting one’s life. Just as Anne Frank’s diary provides an intimate look into her experiences during a tumultuous period, the students’ videos offer a modern-day glimpse into their own lives.
“These students are writing their own stories, just like Anne Frank did,” said Amber Groff, Ph.D., a Secondary English Language Arts Instructional Support Specialist for the DoDEA Southeast District. “Their voices reach beyond the screen, revealing the unique and powerful experiences of growing up in a military family.”
Hall and Groff will present the 8th graders’ work at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference in Denver. Their “One Second Project” presentation will demonstrate how integrating technology with open-ended learning can amplify student voices and encourage collaboration. Attendees will learn how to implement similar projects in their classrooms.
This project is particularly poignant for military families. Frequent relocations and deployments often disrupt family life, making it challenging to maintain a sense of continuity. The “One Second Every Day” project offers a creative way for students to document and share their lives, providing a bridge between past and present experiences. This can be especially meaningful for families separated by military duties, as it allows for a shared glimpse into each other’s daily routines and milestones.
“This project helped me realize the things that I could have been doing instead of being in my room and the opportunities I had to spend time with my friends and family,” said Bryan, an 8th-Grade student at bolden.
The movie premiere night at Bolden was more than just a showcase of student work; it celebrated creativity, resilience, and the everyday moments that define us. The 8th graders’ videos revealed the unique perspectives and diverse experiences that make up their community, reminding everyone of the beauty of ordinary moments and how much we are alike.
“This video diary was incredibly impactful. It may seem that you cannot get much from a simple second. Not only did we get a glimpse into our children’s everyday lives. It showed us another side of them. We saw what they thought was important,” said Nichole Guerpo, a parent of a Bolden student. “It was like being given a glimpse of a place inside them that we don’t think about, don’t see, and they don’t talk about. I applaud this project and am so thankful to have experienced it!”
As Hall and Groff prepare to share this project with educators worldwide, the impact of the “One Second Every Day” project at Bolden continues to resonate, proving that even the briefest of moments can tell a powerful story.
DoDEA operates as a field activity of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. It is responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, and managing pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade educational programs for the Department of Defense. DoDEA operates 160 accredited schools in eight districts in 11 foreign countries, seven states, Guam, and Puerto Rico. DoDEA Americas has 50 schools and is committed to excellence in education, fostering well-rounded, lifelong learners ready to succeed in a dynamic world.
