By : Karen Holzmeister
The Daily Review 08/27/2008
SAN LEANDRO — Teenager Ismael Munoz says this summer was the best of his life.
The 16-year-old said he had fun, learned new skills and acquired a new hobby.
What was the source of this summertime triple play? The chance to use a camera, and prepare photographs and text, for an exhibit now on display at the San Leandro Main Library through Sept. 14.
Munoz is among a dozen San Leandro and San Lorenzo students who created "Behind the Scenes in San Leandro," a exhibit composed of their observations of downtown San Leandro.
San Leandro and Hayward are among 21 California libraries that each received five Canon PowerShot digital cameras, a laptop computer, other processing and printing equipment, and $1,000 to conduct the 10-week project.
The California Council for the Humanities sponsored the program so students could learn how to research, document and present information about their communities.
"I've lived in San Leandro for five years, and I know more about town than I did before," said Munoz, a senior at San Leandro High School. "The streets really have different personalities."
The San Leandro middle and high school students who participated, assisted by Librarian Kelly Keefer and photographer Roy Barloga, visited neighborhoods, historic sites and nature areas — such as San Leandro Creek — during weekly sessions.
They shared cameras and took thousands of photographs, which were downloaded, shared and discussed before five of each student's submissions were selected for the exhibit.
Photo topics included the capturing of shades of dark and light, and the co-existence of man and nature.
For the first category, Munoz went out at midnight one night and snapped photos of street lights at Dolores Avenue and Santa Rosa Street.
"At first, I thought the camera had misfired," Munoz recalled of the resulting photo that resembled lightning bolts against a hazy background. "Then I realized the distortion was exactly as it had appeared."
He also photographed a garden that resembled a manmade jungle full of bamboo and palm plants, and also contained an anchor entangled in vines.
Keefer applied for the grant and selected the participants from among 18 students who applied or expressed interest in the program. The library will keep the cameras and other equipment to use for future student photo projects, Keefer said.
The students' exhibit can be viewed at the San Leandro Main Library, 300 Estudillo Ave., or online by visiting www.flickr.com/photos/behindthescenesinsanleandro. For more information, go to www.sanleandrolibrary.org. or call 510-577-3971.
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