"Class of 2019" Release Party - April 27, 2019
Chair Kim Landry with Interviewees Aldo & Ann Paier, Ray Hershel, John Cataldo, Dr. Gus and Joan Asinas. Missing- Ned Bowler.
West Side Legacy Stories, an intergenerational interview project through the Rotary Club of West Springfield, is a project that brings together older adults and high school students for a structured video recorded interview to capture the oral histories of some of our town’s senior citizens- to explore the key moments, decisions, and events that shaped their lives and to hear their story in their own words.
The Process:
West Springfield High School journalism students conduct interviews posing questions developed by Rotary’s West Side Legacy Stories Committee in the television studio at the school. Video production students film and edit the pieces under the supervision of their teachers and West Springfield’s Public Access television staff. Interview subjects are asked to sign a release form authorizing public use of the interview and relinquishing any rights of ownership to the Rotary Club of West Springfield.
The Videos:
A copy of the original, uncut interview footage and the final edited version is given to the interviewee. A copy is retained by the Rotary Club of West Springfield. Our goal is to have the videos archived at the West Springfield Public Library for present and future generations to learn about the lives of our residents and the era in which they lived.
Release Party:
Once all interviews have been completed and edited into final form, the Rotary Club of West Springfield hosts a public release party to celebrate the project and the lives of the participants. Invited guests include the interviewees and their families, students and teachers involved in the project, West Springfield Public Access television and Comcast participants, and West Springfield Rotarians. At this event, the DVDs are presented to the participants, and guests will view a highlight reel of the interviews.
