Pembroke Pines Charter High School Photography Students
Learn from A Master
 At High School National Society of Arts and Letters Competition

Pembroke Pines, FL….March 14, 2017.  Photography students from Pembroke Pines Charter High School competed in the Second Annual High School National Society of Arts and Letters Competition at Florida Atlantic University, in Boca Raton.  Although the students did not win one of the eight prizes awarded, they were among 65 students who gained priceless experience at the competition. Each student received a certificate of participation as well as a 1-on-1 critique session with master photographer Fred Conrad of the The New York Times. “This was the first time students from our school entered the National Society of Arts and Letters Competition. This was a fantastic and educational experience for all of us,” said Faran Fagen, Newspaper and Yearbook teacher at Pembroke Pines Charter High, whose students are also taught by PPCHS AP photography teacher Lorraine Vazquez. “Our students had many unique and eye-opening experiences at the NSAL competition and the opportunity to learn from Fred Conrad, The New York Times master photographer of 38 years,” said Fagen who has worked for 13 years at PPCHS. “One of our students, Megan Fraga, was selected for participation in an instructional demo which highlighted the importance of utilizing a variety of angles in lighting to create a desired effect.”  

Established in 1944, the National Society of Arts and Letters assists talented people in their pursuit of performing, literary and visual arts through competitions, financial assistance, master classes, mentoring, and providing career opportunities. The NSAL Florida East Coast Chapter developed and rolled out the High School photography pilot for the 2015-16 academic year. Since its inception, the pilot program has focused on the area of photography. In coming years, the competition area of interest may vary but the discipline will come from within the visual and performing arts and literature categories. 
 
The Pembroke Pines Charter High School Academic Village Campus is located at 17189 Sheridan Street in Pembroke Pines. The award winning City of Pembroke Pines Charter School system is the largest municipally run charter school system in the nation, educating nearly 6,000 students from Kindergarten through 12^th grade.