Although he is approaching retirement, the honors keep rolling in for Point Loma High School teacher Larry Zeiger.
The pioneer of the school’s wildly successful and highly acclaimed musical theater and cinema arts program was honored Saturday, June 16, by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences during the 33rd annual Pacific Southwest Emmy Awards.
In addition, he was awarded a $3,000 honorary award grant on behalf of PLHS to help further develop video technology and media education at the school.
Zeiger, who is set to officially begin his retirement Wednesday, June 20, after 33 years of educational service, originally constructed the school’s distinct curriculum as part of an English class for which students would write, choreograph, design and produce their own musical each year.
In the years since, his distinctive program has gained enormous popularity and even national and international attention for its unique point of view and as a valuable teaching tool. It’s been honored with such awards as the California Golden Bell Award for the top performing arts program in California and has been highlighted by mainstream media outlets such as CNN and the BBC.
“Well, this is a wonderful honor because I’m retiring”¦one of the things I’d like to see happen at Point Loma High School is expanding their media and cinema production classes,” Zeiger said of the grant.
Held at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad this year, the purpose of the awards event was to recognize outstanding achievements in television by conferring annual awards of merit in the Pacific Southwest region, according to its site, www.nataspsw.org.
“We are buying a variety of different editing equipment, monitors, tripods, cameras. All the things that students will be able to use in a variety of different curricula,” Zeiger said.
Zeiger stressed how vital media arts programs are in aiding students to think outside the box.
“I think that’s why this gift from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is a marvelous incentive for schools to build up their programs.”
Zeiger said the skills students learn from utilizing different tools like Final Cut Pro, the industry standard on editing software for media arts, are beneficial for students in a variety of different respects.
“It’s used in every academic discipline, history, science, English, physical education, art, music “¦ They’re all using this type of technology, which is terrific,” said Zeiger.
“It ultimately will benefit students when they go to the university level because they’ll be ahead of everyone in developing projects in whatever discipline they’re majoring in.”
Zeiger also noted that media and cinema arts programs are more vital and relevant now than any other time in history.
“I feel that it is one of the most powerful art forms in the 21st century,” he said.
“And I feel since this is the most visually oriented generation in the history of the world that all schools should have powerful and prominent programs in mass media and cinema arts.”