It's FotoCats time again!!!

The 2011 FotoCats class poses in front of Carlile.

It is time to dust off the digital cameras and stock up on juice bags and granola bars. That's right, It is time for another edition of FotoCats at Carlile Elementary School.

FotoCats is a photography class that I teach to a group of (no more than) ten 5th grade students at Carlile Elementary School.  We meet once a week for six weeks after school. Our classes are 45 minutes long. During that time I share the little that I know about what photography is, and what makes a good photograph.

After a few weeks of talking about it the kids get their hands on some digital cameras. We let them loose around the school first and then when they seem to be getting the hang of it we hold our breath and send the cameras home with the kids.

Each student is given the assignment to photograph "what is important to me". When they return to school we edit their images. With a little help the budding young photographers chose an image and an 8 x 10 print is made of the photo.  The photograph is then matted and framed.

After the framing is completed the real fun begins. The students, their families and members of the community are invited to a photo auction of their work. The kids are interviewed about their work, and each photo is auctioned off as the students walk around the room showing off their photo.

The cool part of this auction is that it really makes a difference. Oh sure, it is fun and cool for the kids in the class. They get recognition and some fun surprises, but there is more.

Prior to the event a family in need that is in the district, (not the same school) is selected and invited to the auction. The event is designed to benefit them right then and there. The past two years the families helped have had children who are leukemia survivors. In both of the last two years the families left the school with more than one thousand dollars in hand!

I have been blessed more than I could have ever have imagined by this event. I believe that God is doing His thing by making use of so many people from so many backgrounds to step up and make a difference.

Classes start in February and the auction will be Thursday March 22nd at 7pm in the media center at Carlile Elementary School. Please come and support these kids and be a part of making the difference!