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Professionals Teach Future Leaders

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By SUZANNE M. SCHMIDT

IN THE LOOP

Published: November 26, 2008

Volunteers poised to share their expertise with Pasco County's schoolchildren came out in force for the Nov. 19 Great American Teach-In.

At Veterans Elementary School in Wesley Chapel, people came from all over the Tampa Bay area. Some talked about their jobs as managers or military officers, but the real stars of the show were Mike Felker and Bill Singleton of Hardcore Harmonics.
Felker and Singleton spend most of their time creating soundtracks and underscores for movies, video games and television. While at the school, they recorded one of the children's voices and put it into their program, Prizm. The program has a 30 gigabyte library full of different sounds they have created.

"Prizm is an atmospheric construction synthesizer," Felker said. "When a movie is shot, all the sounds are not there except for the dialogue. That is when sound designers like us will go in after the fact and put the sounds in. The job of a sound designer is to listen to sounds and imagine what they could become."

Both Singleton and Felker taught the students about how much fun they have trying to create sounds for the big screen.

"We have a period of time where we just go and record all sorts of sounds and then a period where we edit and prepare them," Felker said. "Recently, we just destroyed a washing machine in the street and recorded it."

Capt. Michelle Moreno said she came to the school to teach the students about her 21-year career in the Air Force. She said she loves being in the military because she was able to travel and also go to college.

"When I was stationed in Afghanistan, one of the best things I got was letters from students in schools," Moreno said. "When I would get the letters I would hang them up all over the chow hall."

Bayleigh Chisolm, 7, said she had never met and Air Force lady before so for her it was a new and fun experience.

"I learned what the girls wear and what the boys wear," Chisolm said. "I think it was cool that she brought the stuff in to show to us. I think now I am going to send more letters to the troops."

Autumn Javier, 8, said she really enjoyed listening to Moreno talk because she learned about how the military helps people.

"I learned how she travels around the world a lot," Javier said. "I think it is really cool that she helps people in other countries."

Students at the school also got a visit from the general manager of the Skate Park of Tampa, or The SPOT. Ryan Clements said he was at the school because he wanted to teach the students they can turn their fun hobby into a job just like he did.

"When I was younger, I always thought you can either have the dream job of being a professional athlete or you can just get a regular job," Clements said. "I am here to encourage the kids to pursue what they want to do even if they are not good enough to be professional athletes. I was not good enough to be a professional skate boarder but I am very involved in the industry and I love it."

Reporter Suzanne M. Schmidt can be reached at (813) 948-4288 or sschmidt@mediageneral.com.

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