| A graduate of Nogales High School in Los Angeles, Jairo Alvarado is the 2004 National Hispanic Heritage Youth Award winner in Arts & Entertainment, sponsored by Warner Bros. A first-generation Mexican-American, Jairo?s dream is to become a noted film director or producer. To fulfill his dream, Jairo tries his best to get involved in every film festival that comes to town, and bring as much recognition to his work as he can. Just over the past few months, his video submission placed first regionally in the AAA Communications Contest and second nationally. He placed first in the iCademy Film Festival in Arizona, third in the Water Awareness video contest, raising money for his school, and second regionally in the Destination Imagination Competition, where he advanced to the State Finals. Just recently, Jairo held a one-person art show featuring a collection of his videos at a gallery in Pomona, and was named Most Creative at the California Student Media Festival. During high school Jairo also created and promoted the interactive digital yearbook CD for his school, and found the unique ability to fuse his passion for the arts with his dedication to improving his community. Throughout high school, Jairo regularly volunteered at an elementary school, introducing kids to video and photo editing programs that were simplified for young learners. He also used his knowledge of various software programs to help bring innovative ideas to his school. When asked why he would give so much of his time improving opportunities for his classmates, Jairo said: ?Helping provide a better atmosphere for students has always been a passion? I take pleasure from the fact that I am leaving something behind that I can be remembered for.? Jairo says he is excited that Hispanic influence is growing in every community, and believes that getting involved in his own heritage has inspired others ? of all ethnicities ? to look up to him. This has driven his determination to succeed in film and ultimately help increase the overall Hispanic presence in the industry. Jairo will be interning at Warner Bros. this summer and will study film at UCLA in the fall, majoring in TV and Film Production. |
