High School Filmmaker Needs Votes to Win Scholarship
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Ferndale 115 News, April 24, 2012)
Natalie Berger is a Ferndale High School Senior that Ferndale 115 Readers may know through the videos she has produced about important events at her school (see Homecoming and Oklahoma production). Now the graduating senior has put together a very important production, one that could earn her a $10,000 college scholarship.
But she needs your help.
Berger’s video about Michigan 2020, a Michigan Senate Democrats’ plan to fund education by ending tax loopholes to corporations, is part of an online competition where the top ten vote-getters move on to a final round of competition. Berger is asking that everyone check out the video and consider voting for her. Voting can be done daily, and the voting for round one ends around May 11th, when ten finalists are selected. Individuals can vote once per day.
To see Berger’s video and vote to help her get a scholarship, go to http://www.mi2020video.com/videos/3xyw.
Berger filmed and edited the video herself, and about 20 fellow students are seen in the short clip, which showcases the benefits of education and symbolizes the hopes and dreams many people have for youth. A friend’s adorable baby sister adds to the moving, hopeful spirit of the film.
Whether she wins the $10,000 scholarship or not, Berger supports the Michigan 2020 plan. The plan is being presented by the Michigan Senate Democrats, but speaks to the bi-partisan cause of giving our state a 
well-educated workforce. The website describing the plan shows the success of the Promise Zone in Kalamazoo where the local economy has grown thanks to the community’s ability to offer full scholarships to local students. Hazel Park is in the midst of building a similar program, but Michigan 2020 calls for the entire state to be a promise zone, where education is a public priority.
“I think the Michigan 2020 plan is a good plan because the work force has changed so much in recent years that it is almost impossible to get a job with out a college education. In the past, you could make a good living without college but times have change and we need to change too in order to get ahead,” Berger said.
After graduation from Ferndale High School, Berger will be going up to Northern Michigan University to double major in digital cinema and theatre.
Find out more at http://www.mi2020video.com/videos/3xyw. UPDATE: Voting is over and Natalie has made it into the top 10. Berger said she’ll know by the end of the week if judges have picked hers to win or not.
