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Edward Lowe ’23 Youth Film Reflection
Edward Lowe ’23 Explores the Art of Film
Looking for ways to get more involved in his own community, Mount Vernon native Edward Lowe ’23 spent his junior year taking part in two workshops with the Baltimore Youth Film Arts Program (BYFA), an artistic and educational affiliate program of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins University. According to their website, the program offers Baltimore City residents ages 16 to 29 the opportunity to learn camera skills, refine storytelling techniques, and create films and photographs to be shared at public screenings, exhibitions, and on the program website. The overarching mission of the program is to build an online archive of Baltimore voices—a representation of the city, current and historical, real and imagined.
Edward first became interested in film watching a variety of movie genres with his dad growing up. “I really think it’s a great medium to express yourself through art beyond writing an essay or painting a picture,” said Edward. “It’s a great mixture of those two.” More recently, Edward got a job at the Parkway Theatre, an art house theatre in Baltimore City that screens foreign and independent films and hosts a wide range of local and visiting directors who come in and speak about their films. The Parkway is also home to the Maryland Film Festival and has been a Satellite Screen for the Sundance Film Festival. That’s when he and his mom happened upon BYFA’s website. Edward participated in two workshops— Inside Stories: Perspectives on Incarceration and Inside Stories: The Podcast—both of which were part of an ongoing project gathering the personal accounts of formerly incarcerated city residents and the people who worked with them in prison.
“I have lived in Baltimore my whole life, so many of these individuals are neighbors, and the idea of working on a project that deals with incarceration was intriguing to me because it’s kind of a gray area for many of us,” said Edward. “We have our own beliefs and stereotypes about the prison system and being able to ask my own questions and hear firsthand accounts from former inmates was really interesting and eye-opening.”
The first workshop focused on a series of video interviews with former inmates via Zoom, while the second installment was in the form of a podcast, catching up with former inmates on how they were acclimating to life outside of prison. “One of the main struggles people face after being released from prison is matriculating back into society,” said Edward. “I really enjoyed the second workshop because I was able to reconnect with people I had previously interviewed, and it was great to see the progress they had made since we last interviewed them.”
One interview really stuck with Edward. “The person grew up in East Baltimore, in a neighborhood less than five minutes from where I live. Although he had spent over thirty years in prison, he still had an extremely positive outlook. He was first incarcerated in the eighties after being convicted of first-degree murder at the age of seventeen and was recently released after being proven innocent. He shared his disturbing stories of violence and assault in prison and the prison guards’ neglect of their situation. Even though he was innocent the whole time, he was forced to go through the same treatment as everyone else. Yet he expressed how happy he is and that the experience helped shape who he is today. He is the kind of person who can take a difficult experience and get something great out of it, and his appreciation for life was beyond admirable.”
As the youngest participant in these workshops, Edward enjoyed the hands-on experience. In addition to conducting the interviews, he and his peers edited video and audio, logged content for possible future use in documentary storytelling, and identified story arcs and other points of interest. “We learned about advanced preparation, how to ask open-ended questions, and how to engage in active listening,” said Edward. The latter of which was one of the most important takeaways for him. “I expected to feel disturbed because of some of my own preconceived notions about crime and prison life, but when I was able to just sit there and actively listen to their stories, I felt empathy for the former inmates.”
After editing the sessions, Edward felt a sense of fulfillment about their work. “Creating an oral history is extremely important to draw back the curtain on aspects of life that are sometimes hidden from us. Our work is tangible and can be viewed by anyone who wants to learn from the experiences of the people we interviewed. I am happy we were able to bring attention to the stories of city residents who often face difficult life challenges and are sometimes misunderstood.”
This experience led Edward to another project, this time at Loyola Blakefield. “After mentioning to my AP Government teacher, Mr. Burns, that I was taking part in these workshops with the BYFA, he asked me if I wanted to help with an oral history project about Loyola being produced by students and faculty in our history department. It was a great opportunity to get involved in that.”
Edward also participated in another BYFA workshop this summer. The Truth or Something Like It: Memoir is an online writing-intensive workshop where participants create art based on memories by recalling and reflecting through a range of mediums and forms, including poetry, prose, and still and moving images. Edward hopes to continue his passion for film through the BYFA while exploring other projects that help shine a light on Baltimore City and its residents.
Listen to Inside Stories: The Podcast
New Assistant Principals
Mrs. Erin Courtney has been named Assistant Principal for Faculty Development. She previously served as Chair of the Mathematics Department, has taught Math and Computer Science at the middle school, and served as a Learning Specialist in our Murray Learning Services program. She has also been involved in countless retreats and service programs over her 20 years here at Loyola.
“Erin’s commitment to Jesuit education, to professional excellence, and to building a community of belonging among our faculty are abundantly evident to all those who have worked with her,” said Brian Maraña ‘00, Upper School Principal. “I am very excited to continue to collaborate with her as she takes on this new role.”
Ryan Bromwell ’91 has been named Assistant Principal for Academics. Ryan also has served at Loyola for 20 years in various roles, such as science teacher, Science Department chair, and orientation coordinator. He has most recently also served as Experiential Learning Coordinator and has been the driving force behind our service and immersion program in Belize as well.
New Assistant Principals Named
It is with great enthusiasm and humility I take on the position of Assistant Principal for Faculty Development. Although I will miss being in the classroom, I hope to pass along what I have learned in my 28 years of teaching. My goal is to empower teachers so that they can be their best and experience the same joy that I have had the privilege of knowing for so many years.
I am extraordinarily humbled by the opportunity to serve the Loyola Blakefield community in the role of Assistant Principal for Academics. It is such a dynamic time for our students and teachers who must navigate numerous challenges and discern among many opportunities in pursuit of their Jesuit education. I am privileged to walk with them as our journeys unfold and look forward to serving our Dons in pursuit of their academic ambitions.
Department Chair Updates:
New Appointments
Catherine Dearborn Mathematics Department Chair
Sam Manelski History Department Chair
Elizabeth Wise Classical Language Department Chair
