Immediately turning in from the library doors of Tallwood High School, Shamir Tyner hurriedly walked up to the table, his arm extended as he graciously introduced himself and apologized for running late. His field trip to the Air and Space Museum had run longer than expected, and he just gotten back to school.
Undeterred and smiling intently, Tyner sat down, adjusted his Virginia State University lanyard and settled into a conversation about one of his great passions: video editing.
That’s right, video editing.
For those who have heard Tyner’s name before, this might not have been what you were expecting. The high school senior class president is perhaps best known for his on-the-field abilities. While at Tallwood, Tyner played both tight end and defensive end for the Lions. His athletic prowess earned him a full scholarship to Virginia State University.
But Tyner does not allow football to dictate his identity.
“I could be considered a jock because I play football,” Tyner said. “You can have these different titles, but if you like something, you should pursue it. You should chase it down and now worry about how others think of you.”
Tyner split his time from film sessions with coaches to a different kind of film creation – video production. He began working in film while volunteering at church. There, under the tutelage of a mentor, Tyner has spent years working behind the scenes preparing the audio/visual materials for the church’s worship sessions. His work at the church also led to a now four-year internship with Visually Inklined, a video and post-production company with offices here locally as well as New York.
All this training came to a head earlier this year when a teacher told Tyner the White House was holding a special student film festival. The competition tasked students all across the country with showcasing the use of technology in their classrooms. Tyner, born and raised in Virginia Beach, looked no further than his former elementary school, College Park.
“I live in the College Park neighborhood. I look at that school and see how much it has changed,” he said. “I knew College Park was using a lot of technology.”
Tyner reached out to Shirann Lewis, assistant superintendent of elementary schools, as well as College Park Elementary School principal Sheila Wynn. Together, they worked to highlight the innovative and beneficial ways teachers have incorporated new technologies into their day to day instruction.
“He had a plan in place and he communicated it very well,” Wynn said of her meeting with Tyner “I thought he was very mature for a senior…He was very articulate.”
Click here to view Tyner’s finished video.
For his part, Tyner received a new outlook on the role technology plays in teacher/student relationships.
“It allowed me to learn a lot about where a teacher can come from in teaching a lesson,” Tyner said. “If a teacher can use technology, they’re going to have a different type of connection (with the class). Students feel that trust that teachers are giving – giving that piece of equipment to them.”
The opportunity to shoot, edit and produce this video also gave him the chance to put the school division on a national level – an opportunity he was proud to capitalize on.
“I always knew, in the back of my head, I was representing Virginia Beach City Public Schools, not just Shamir Tyner,” he said of his work in the film festival. “I felt College Park was a great school to highlight for a great representation of Virginia Beach.”
The film festival committee agreed. Of the more than 2,500 entries to be in the festival, Tyner was selected in the top 100 and earned an honorable mention for his work.
“You could see a lot of pride in that film,” Wynn said. “There was a lot of pride there not only because Shamir was former College Park student, but for coming home and selecting College Park to showcase to the world…It touches so many folk: past, present, future.”
Moving forward, Tyner is looking forward to his years at Virginia State, but still does not know if he will go into video editing as a profession. Right now, he wants to pursue a career in law enforcement.
However, he plans to continue working at his award-winning hobby through his extracurricular work – an approach he encourages for all his fellow high school students.
“The experiences I have had in Virginia Beach are like none other. (Teachers and staff members) challenge you on levels you wouldn’t be challenged on,” Tyner said. “If there is something out there you want, just find someone who shares the same interests as you and get something started.”
Q&A:
What is the last movie you watched? Ride Along
What is your recommended study tip? Take each class and devote 30 minutes to an hour (of study time) to each class per week.
Who is your role model? There are so many, but my mom. Everything I do is because I want to make her proud.
Well written!!!!! Thank you!
Good Job Shamir! I am proud of you!
You are certainly a role model I would be proud for my son to emulate! Best of luck in whatever future endeavors you may pursue.
Shamir, you will always have a special place in my heart. I knew you would do big things! Keep up the good work and best of luck at Virginia State! I am so proud of you!
-Mrs.Conger
It was a pleasure to read this and know you are doing so well!
I am so proud of you Shamir!!!
I could not be more proud of you, Shamir! I wish you the best in all that you do.
Shamir, you will always have a special place in my heart. I always knew you would do great things. Good luck at Virginia State! I am so proud of you!
-Mrs. Conger
Shamir,
I am so proud that you will attend Virginia State University this fall. I have followed you since the Continental’s Mid-Atlantic Region Meeting in Newport News. Keep your eyes on the prize! Awesome Young Man.
Great article! My wife and I are both very proud of you, Shamir! Keep pursuing your dreams!
Mr. & Mrs. O
Awesome Shamir! You truly have a very bright future!
Continue to be the awesome person you are, there are no limits…!
Shamir,
I am so very proud of you. Keep up the good work and continue to follow your dreams. Virginia State is my alma mater. Go Trojans!
Mrs. Lewis
Your elementary school principal