Verrado High takes pride in its numerous CTE programs, some of which even result in the opportunity to win awards. Film and TV have produced many shorts that have been loved throughout the district and now even nationwide.

On Friday, March 21st, students gathered in the auditorium to congratulate Senior Cohen Cantrell for being a Semi-Finalist for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the CTE category.

This award recognizes over 20 high school seniors yearly for their accomplishments in different areas. Arizona’s Chief State School Officers made the nominations. Cohen was selected and made it as a semi-finalist in this program.

Cohen Cantrell is a dedicated student who excels in Verrado’s Film and TV program. He’s won countless awards for his original creations and his help on other projects. He enjoys making light-hearted short films with fun concepts he and his team of film students come up with.

He has directed over three short films during his time in high school. He’s worked on Crumbs, 35 Minutes, Left Behind, and Soup. All of these have been showcased at school and statewide film events.

His short films stand out, and they have all won awards for good reason. His use of lighting and dramatized acting all come together to create an entertaining watching experience.

His knowledge of editing and camera angles shines through his work, making the watchers engage with every shot.

His passion for filmmaking lies in the Department of Photography Directing. Along with directing many of these short films, he’s also taken the lead in directing the photography.

He plans to pursue a career as a director of photography in the film industry. He takes inspiration from numerous directors known for their groundbreaking work on blockbuster films.

Cohen was seated along with his parents to receive kind words from staff members. Principal, Mr. Thomas was the first to speak, recounting his positive experiences with Cohen over the past year. Sharing how proud he was of his accomplishments and how positively his hard work has affected the school.

The other speakers included Former Principal Mr. Showman, current Film & TV teacher Mrs. Cox, and former Film teacher Mr. Walker. They all took turns sharing their experiences with Cohen and shared their admiration for his passion for film.

Cohen shared with the audience that he’s been accepted into SCAD, the Savannah College of Art & Design, and he plans to further pursue film during college.

His impressive resume of competitions, internships, and awards was enough to wow everybody.

Cohen’s passion for filmmaking and editing is clear, with his involvement in numerous award-winning productions that have made their way into many of Arizona’s film festivals.

He ended the event by thanking the audience for their support. Although he is graduating this year, his mark on Verrado High School’s film program will never be forgotten.