Dixon photographer putting video slideshow together
As the global coronavirus pandemic has closed Dixon’s campuses for the remainder of the school year, parents have been exploring options to honor their graduating seniors, especially with the uncertain status of a graduation ceremony at the moment.
One suggestion: a video slideshow featuring a variety of pictures of the Class of 2020 that parents can post to their social media pages. Dixon photographer Stephanie Riedel is currently accepting pictures for this project.
“Their high school experience is so important to them,” she said. “If we don’t have a traditional graduation, like so many others in the past, I think that a lot of the seniors are gonna feel shortchanged with their experience…Anything that people can do to help the seniors feel supported and loved at this time is really great.”
The idea for the video project came from Jill Hernandez, the parent of a Dixon High School senior and the founder of the Facebook group “Dixon Class of 2020 Parent Group” where she and other high school parents have been ac
tively sharing ideas to celebrate seniors. Hernandez said she had seen a similar group for parents from outside the state and felt there should be one for Dixon as well. The group shares not only suggestions for events but also birthdays, college acceptance news and other milestones for their soonto-be graduates.
“I’m trying to keep everybody feeling like there’s a sense of hope for the future,” she said. “Dixon’s such a small community. We all know each other really well, and I thought, Maybe by doing this it would be an opportunity for parents to come on and share ideas and things we can do alternatively for our seniors in the event we don’t have a graduation.”
In a recent FAQ, Dixon Unified School District Superintendent Brian Dolan said graduation ceremonies were still being planned for June in the event the coronavirus situation has improved — and possibly postponed to the summer if it hasn’t by then. Regardless of what happens with a graduation ceremony, parents have shared ideas of other ways to celebrate their students’ milestones. One suggestion was a possible car parade where families would take their seniors around town and have them wave from their windows.
Hernandez also thought about the idea of a video slideshow. As a preschool teacher in the Sacramento City Unified School District, she also does video slideshows of her students, which have been a huge hit
with their parents.
“They’re so excited to see that visual of their child in a cap and gown,” she said.
Hernandez posted about it to the Facebook group, and the offer was accepted by Riedel, who also had taken senior portraits of Hernandez’s daughter.
Riedel is a professional photographer in Dixon. She began taking photos as a hobby 25 years ago when her oldest son was born.
“I was on maternity leave,” she said. “I started posing him and taking pictures of him, and then it kept going from there.”
Soon, people were asking Riedel to take photos
for their business, and she established her own business 15 years ago. Riedel has taken pictures of everything from Senior Model Rep portraits to family photos to maternity photos.
However, Riedel said she has not been able to operate her business as usual because photography has not been considered an essential business by the state.
“We’ve kind of come to a standstill,” she said of the photography industry. “A lot of photographers are looking for ways to give back to the seniors in their community, whether they’ve taken their senior photos or not.”
Riedel, a parent of two
Dixon High graduates, was associated with the Facebook group and jumped at the opportunity to follow up on Hernandez’s suggestion.
“(I’m) not necessarily trying to get my name out personally,” Riedel said. “I’ve lived in Dixon for 25 years. I love this community, and I was always a very involved parent when my kids were going through high school, so for me personally, this is a project of love that I’m able to do.”
Riedel is calling upon parents of Dixon High and Maine Prarie High School seniors to email three to four photos of each graduate to her. The photos can range from baby photos to formal or casual senior photos to pictures that represent their favorite activities such as band or athletic photos. Riedel said she would consider uploading it to YouTube, and it would likely be posted to the Facebook group where others would be free to share from their. There is no cost to submit photos.
Hernandez said she had gotten a lot of photos so far, and Dixon High Principal Stephanie Marquez sent out an email to seniors about the project.
Riedel said she was grateful for the community’s support to show the seniors support.
“It’s a nice way to let the seniors know that they’re still super important and that we haven’t forgotten about them and that they’re still really awesome,” she said.
The photos can be emailed to stephriedelseniors@gmail.com.