Brookhaven College’s Film Club won its first award in 2017 during the Texas Junior College Student Government Association conven- tion in Houston. The Brookhaven Film Club submitted its produc- tion, “Student Voices: Dawn of Leadership,” in the convention’s Video of the Year Contest. The club’s video placed second, fol- lowing Amarillo College in first, according to tjcsga.org.

The video depicts a group of college students who band togeth- er against their school board to prevent them from changing the school mascot from a bear to a goldfish. After gathering student signatures for a petition in favor of keeping the original mascot, the bear prevails.

Representing over 700,000 community, junior and technical college students, the TJCSGA is “the only student maintained organization in the state that works to promote the cause of community college students at the local, regional, state and national level,” according to tjcsga.org.

The club members heard about the contest from Allen Wiese, parliamentarian of the Brookhaven Student Government Association. After brainstorming, the club collaborated to come up with the idea for the video. “The entire production shoot was about seven weeks, including editing,” Dan Lord, club president, said. The club members used their own cameras and microphones, and borrowed lighting gear from the school to pull off the production.

The video was dedicated to Konrado Cirilo, a club member who died in Spring 2017. “This was extremely traumatic for the club, and about half the kids dropped out,” Lord said.

The TJCSGA holds annual contests in which member schools compete in a wide range of categories, such as Most Spirited School and Most Professional School, as well as contests in poetry, essay writing and video. Any student whose school is an TJCSGA member can enter any competition by filling out the proper forms on the TJCSGA website.

In the past, members of the club have chosen to produce videos of their own.

In 2016, the club got together for the production of their 2016 short film “Slender’s Man.” The two-minute parody takes place in the woods, where a girl is killed by Slender Man, prompting a police investigation.

Charlie Warnberg, English adjunct faculty and longtime film fan, said he was excited to hear about the Film Club at the Welcome Back Party last spring. “At that time, the sponsor was Giraud Polite, and I contacted him to offer my support,” Warnberg said.

Whether or not the Film Club members decide to participate in the TJCSGA contests again, students will still have a place to watch, critique and talk about films.

Club members will also take a consensus on other activities besides screening at the beginning of the semester, Lord said.

Lord said the club’s main goal is to begin its activities quickly. The club meets 3-6 p.m. every Wednesday in Room B240, and is open to all students.