Mentors & Magicians

by Dallas Simms, The University of Virginia , '17

If they wanted to fly, they flew. If they wanted to disappear, they disappeared. I wasn’t just their mentor; I was their magician. This past summer, I had the opportunity to mentor 8-11 year olds in a special effects filmmaking workshop in Charlottesville, VA. I...

Listen to the Ambience

by Dallas Simms, The University of Virginia , '17

3…2…1…BOOM! A train violently smashes into the building, sending glass, bricks, and furniture into a tornado-like fury. In utter panic, the five kids around me scream at the top of their lungs for several minutes (what seems like hours), and then the room suddenly...