BaccDoor has been by far, one of the most enjoyable activities for me personally to partake in. Running media days and photographing for sports teams acts as such an effective way of community building. Through photo and video, we can re-live wonderful memories and reminisce on the past. Being able to do something that I love while also serving those around me has been a true gift. I mainly feel this way due to my work as a photographer outside of school; this is something that I allow myself to feel very passionate about, and rightfully so. After a hard day of setting up lighting, backdrop, and a proper environment for a shoot, there is no better feeling than seeing positive messages and the smiles on the faces of others when they can look at their pictures. 

One thing I have also attempted to do through this documentary photography work is the telling of stories. This has been particularly valuable, bringing BaccDoor to be more than just the documenting of events. Putting together collections has come with the intent of actually giving meaning to events, allowing viewers to empathize with those in the displayed imagery. The collections have been curated with a specific feeling or subject in mind, each portraying a different idea. This is where the creativity element of CAS has come into play. Using these images as an artistic medium of sorts allows them to transcend their original uses, something I have enjoyed working on immensely.

BaccDoor has deeply enriched my high school experience. Organizing media days and capturing sports events have been powerful avenues for strengthening community bonds. By sharing our photos and videos, we offer the student body a way to relive cherished moments and connect over common experiences. The joy of integrating my passion for photography with community engagement has been immensely rewarding. The meticulous efforts in setting up the perfect lighting and scenes truly pay off when I see the happiness our work brings to people's faces.

Moreover, our project strives to do more than just document moments; we aim to craft stories that resonate emotionally with viewers. By curating collections centered on specific events tied w, we invite people to engage deeply with the images, fostering greater empathy and understanding. This artistic aspect of our Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) project transforms the photos from simple snapshots into powerful tools for expression. Engaging in this project has not only pushed me out of my comfort zone but has also provided a profoundly fulfilling way to contribute to my community while pursuing my love for photography.

The BaccDoor Documentary Group (my CAS project) began with a simple idea: along with my peers, I wanted to create an "introductory video" for incoming students to our school. We remember how when we first joined the student body, we were not given clear direction on how the school operated. Only years later were we fully able to integrate into the school atmosphere, after wasting a lot of time trying to understand the systems operating around us. We wanted to resolve this issue for the incoming students behind us, and we figured that the creation of a documentary about the school would help to integrate these children into the student body much faster. Over time, we realized that there might be a better way to accomplish this goal. Rather than one project, one documentary, we wanted to document all the different facets of the student body. With this shifted method in mind, we began to act as the school's PR team, using photography and videography to present the school's sports teams, events, staff, and students to the next generation of young scholars.

We were ultimately met with varied results in our CAS project. Difficulties certainly arose along the way, especially in coordinating our efforts to document every relevant school event. We tried to attend every major sports game, and yet the limited number of members in the group made this difficult. From a broader lens, however, it is clear that the BaccDoor Documentary has been a success. We have created an Instagram account where we post our best photos and videos, where they will lie in wait for all future students that want to learn a bit about the school's culture. We also found surprising benefits of our work. For example, we were able to draw more attention to the school's sports teams, and to bring in more fans to games. BaccDoor became the school's spotlight, a place to keep up with what's what and who's who.

However, the results of the work were rewarding as we were able to gain a solid following base from our student body.  Furthermore, our CAS Project stressed the importance of commitment where at all sports events, full attendance from all members was needed.  This was sometimes challenging for me due to outside-of-school events that often intervened.  However, whenever I had a chance to go to an event, I would always make sure I attended as I knew my role in this group would have a larger impact by strengthening our school community.

Throughout my time, I have also picked up some basics of photography such as basic composition or adjusting for lighting during the shoot. These were some aspects I picked up while being a part of this group. My group members were able to teach me new skills, developing my interest in photography which I can further explore in the future. It allowed me to look forward to, where I can grow in other areas that allow me to advance as a person outside of school.  Being a social media manager and supporting photographer assigned responsibilities that I had to carry out, as the importance of timeliness and efficiency comes with group contributions.  Overall, being a part of this CAS Project taught me how to manage and plan things while developing my new interest in photography. 

One thing that aided me in overcoming this challenge was that I knew many of the people that I was shooting personally, as BSGE is a small school and I talk to many people here. This made it so I already had some air of comfort with whoever I shot. Once I started talking to my subjects more I learned what to say to make them feel the most comfortable, and like any other skill, practice made it sharper. All the events that I have gone to and shot have contributed to my confidence behind the camera, which is now very high. 

By interacting with people at my school from behind my camera and capturing fun moments, I felt as if I were doing a lot to contribute to the school spirit at my school. BSGE is very small and does not have the strongest sense of school spirit, but it does have a strong, tight-knit community. Thus, I felt I had to take it upon myself to help foster school spirit and contribute to a more enjoyable high school experience for those at BSGE. That is exactly what I did, with both my pictures and my presence. When I attended sports games I made sure to be the loudest fan there, even though I was shooting photos. And by posting the photos I shot on the school website and even in the school building I made the events that I shot seem bigger than they were, encouraging more people to attend them in the future.

Balancing these roles wasn’t just fun; it was genuinely transformative. It taught me a lot about observation—like waiting for the right moment for a shot, both with a camera and on the soccer field. Working with BaccDoor showed me the importance of preserving those fleeting, important moments and sharing them. And being captain taught me about leading by example, motivating my team, and creating a supportive environment.

Handling both these responsibilities helped me play a central part in crafting and capturing our shared experiences. It wasn’t just about taking photos or playing soccer; it was about leading, learning, and leaving a mark through the stories we told and the games we played. This mix of visual arts and sports leadership really shaped my high school experience, making it about more than just memories—it was about making an impact and inspiring others through what we do and create.

As one of the lead photographers, I got to see and capture all the angles of our school life. Along with my teammates, we’ve documented everything from the everyday moments to the big events. It’s more than just taking photos; we’re telling the story of our time here, making sure it’s remembered. BSGE is full of spirit, but we’re not a typical high school with all the fancy facilities. We don’t have our own gym or auditorium, so not everyone can experience the big games or school events firsthand. That’s where our photography comes in. It fills in the gaps for those who can’t be there. Our pictures bring the excitement of a game or the fun of a pep rally right to them. It’s like we’re all in it together, no matter where we are.

This role has really helped me weave my earlier, lonelier high school days into a vivid story of community and involvement. Each photo we take isn’t just a memory captured; it’s a piece of our shared history. We’re creating a legacy that will live on long after we graduate, showing future classes what life was like for us. Moving from a quiet student to someone helping tell our school’s story has been one of the most rewarding parts of high school for me. It’s amazing to think about how much has changed and all the stories we’ve told along the way.