Daylin Baez first began making movies in 7th grade, a passion that changed her life. In high school, she met Karen Clawson. “Working with K is for Kids opened many doors for me…and I want to dedicate the first letter of Katnyssa, ‘K’, to them.”
“If it wasn’t for them and Mrs. Clawson,” Daylin writes, “I wouldn’t have made it this far – From introducing me to well known people such as K.C. Schulberg, to giving me my first experience of working with a client in the real world, K is for Kids helped me how to communicate with people through e-mail, which is extremely important in the business world. I want to continue to brand K is for Kids in my future and support them.”
Thank you, K is for Kids, for helping out a student videographer in getting her name out there to the world.”
K is for Katnyssa
“People often ask me if Katnyssa comes from Katniss from the Hunger Games — no — and what it means or stands for. Katnyssa has always been a name I went by online for making videos. The “nyssa” part of Katnyssa comes from my middle name, Vanessa. The “kat” part comes from my most favorite name in the world, Katherine (which I will probably name my first daughter) – and not to mention that “K” has always been my favorite letter! Also, when I was thinking of a name to use to produce my videos, I thought of how “K” is also the first letter in K is for Kids; I got my start with them in my junior year when they chose my video for Teen Fashion Show PSA.”
How it all began….
“My passion for videography started six years ago when I was in middle school. It was only a hobby, but it eventually grew into something greater. I was playing alto saxophone in the school band and I loved it, I even wanted to be a professional alto saxophone player when I grew up. Other than playing music, I would be at home and go on YouTube to watch edited videos of my favorite TV shows with really cool video effects. I had always wanted to try making one, so I did.
Daylin: “Here I am (third on the left) playing alto saxophone in the Golden Gate Middle School Jazz Band when I was in the 7th Grade.”
Daylin: “This is me sitting at a table at my Beginning Band concert when I was in the 6th Grade.”
One day, I began playing around on Windows Movie Maker to see what I could do with the program. After hours of working on it, I made my first slideshow with low quality images. It was really basic, but it was a start. I watched more videos and researched to see what editing software videographers used. I went to a store and purchased the most updated version of Sony Vegas Movie Studio. Right when I got home, I played with the program and made several videos from it. I would go on YouTube and look up some neat looking effects to use on my own videos. Editing videos became my most favorite hobby.”
A Detour Leads ….
During my 8th grade year, I was preparing myself to go to Golden Gate High School. That was until I heard about a high school named Lorenzo Walker Technical High School. I decided to look into it and I liked what I saw. When I found that they had a Digital Design/Multimedia program, I knew that LWTHS was the place for me to enroll.
I registered and received my acceptance letter in the mail a few months before I started 
high school. Fast forward to my junior year of high school. Before the first day of school of my junior year, I was ecstatic to start the program. I couldn’t wait to get into the class and learn about photography, animation, web design, and especially videography. I remember first meeting the Digital Design/Multimedia instructor Richard Ponton and I instantly knew I was going to enjoy the class. Throughout the year, I learned so much about the Adobe CC programs (Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Flash, and Dreamweaver). I quickly learned how to use Adobe Premiere Pro CC (a video editing program) since I had used Sony Vegas before. In almost every project I had done in the class, I tried to incorporate Premiere Pro because I was in love with it. Video editing was all I really wanted to do.”
K is for Kids
“In the first couple months of school, we had Club Day, where all the clubs had booths out in the courtyard. I walked around and saw a booth for K is for Kids.
Club Rush at Lorenzo Walker Technical High School: Krisha Mac, a junior student and Operation:Outreach President, welcomes new members
It was the first time I had ever heard of the name and I was curious to know what it was about. Krisha Mak, who was running the booth and was the president of the club, told me about the book drives, fun’raisers and their biggest event of the year, the From the Heart Teen Fashion Show. I really liked what I was hearing, so I signed up. I thought it was an amazing organization to earn volunteer hours for.
At the first couple meetings, it was decided that I would be the Historian of the K is for Kids Club at LWTHS [Lorenzo Walker Technical High School] and went to every meeting there was.
Operation Outreach – Lorenzo Walker Technical High School 2014-15
One day, Mr. Ponton told me that top leaders of K is for Kids came by the Multimedia classroom to film their commercial (called a PSA or Public Service Announcement for nonprofits) for the fashion show with the older Multimedia students in the class. Since the seniors/adults had a lot on their plate at the time, the project was handed over to me. Honestly, I was so excited to make a commercial and have it shown on television, but I was nervous. I knew I had to make it look really, really good, (I was in the class for only a few months!) but I knew I could do it.I worked hard on the commercial and I loved how it turned out, so did Karen Clawson! We started talking about other opportunities the foundation offers, and the next thing I knew, I became an intern for K is for Kids.”
Richard Ponton directs team of students as K is for Kids top student leaders record PSA for their upcoming Teen Fashion Show 2015
Next Assignment: Lead Videographer!
“A couple months before the fashion show, I attended the meetings and planned out where my team would place the video cameras and which angles they would be facing. The show occurred on February 7th, 2015 and it was a great night! It was my first real world experience of filming a public event. I had good footage of the models getting their hair and make up done backstage, and also of them walking across the stage. The ladies looked beautiful and the men looked handsome. It was exciting to be a part of the fashion show! Editing the fashion show video was a challenge (it turned out to be a nine minute long video), but I had fun working on it. It is something I would definitely do again for the next show. If you missed my video, you can watch it here! http://www.kisforkids.org/news/videos-photos-released-for-k-is-for-kids-teen-fashion-show/
Y.E.S. COMP
“One of the highlights of my junior year and another thing that I would also like do again next year, is to participate in the Y.E.S. COMP (Young Entrepreneur Scholarship Competition). The judges of the competition, Pat Clawson, Vin Izzi, and Tiffany McQuaid, gave me the best advice on coming up with a business plan.
This is me with the Y.E.S. Comp judges. (l-r) Pat Clawson, judge and K is for Kids director; Tiffany McQuaid of McQuaid & Company Real Estate Services and McQuaid Marketing & Promotions; Daylin Baez; Craig Bouchard, New York Times bestselling author of “The Caterpillar Way”; judge Vin Izzi of Izzi Consulting, and K is for Kids director, & Karen Clawson K is for Kids founder, executive director and creator of the competition. Photo by Ann Alvarez, a Gulf Coast High School student.
I ended up winning third place in the competition and I was proud of myself. When I got up to present, I felt incredibly nervous and my mind went blank. Then when I began talking about my film making, my passion took over. As I presented videos that I had created, and began sharing ideas for my production company, Katnyssa Productions, my creative juices were definitely flowing! I really love showing off my work. Mrs. McQuaid, one of the judges of the Y.E.S. Competition, approached me and offered me an opportunity to work with her real estate company, McQuaid & Company. I was incredibly happy and very interested to work with her.”
Here I am giving my presentation for Y.E.S. Comp. Photo by Ann Alvarez, student at Gulf Coast High School.
My Journey Continues
“I’d never thought that I would ever come this far at such a young age! I am now a senior high school student taking college classes at Florida Southwestern State College. My love for videography is stronger than ever as I am learning more in my Digital Design/Multimedia Class at LWTHS. Working with K is for Kids has been enriching experience. Before I heard about K is for Kids, I knew nothing about business or communication. Fortunately, they gave me those tools in order to communicate with others in a professional manner. In my last year of high school, I am continuing to do well and produce creative, high quality videos. One day, I hope to become a successful filmmaker and have the world appreciating my work.”
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