Anne Arundel County Public Schools has earned two more national awards from the Telly Awards Judging Council, continuing its status as a school district recognized for excellence in video and television production.

AACPS earned honors for:

·       its video capturing the sights and sounds of the Cool Schools Plunge, an event each winter at Sandy Point State Park in which thousands of students brave the cold and dip themselves into the Chesapeake Bay to raise money for Special Olympics Maryland.

·       School Sounds, the student-centered television series that highlights independent student bands from across AACPS while providing hands-on television and media production opportunities for student apprentices.

The award for the Cool Schools Plunge video was the latest for Video Production Specialist Jon Francis, a multiple Telly Award winner. Francis’ video expertly captured the event’s school spirit, student leadership, inclusion, and camaraderie through a shared experience that encouraged students and staff to support one another while giving back to the community. The video not only brought out the energy, unity, and impact of the event, but it highlighted the connections formed between students, schools, and the athletes they support.

The School Sounds project began during the 2024-2025 school year when Communications Engagement Specialist Louis Nesbitt and Television Broadcast Manager Erik Cloyd launched the series as a student voice initiative designed to place students in leadership roles on camera and behind the scenes. From its inception, the vision of the program has been to create authentic storytelling opportunities that elevate student creativity, collaboration, and real-world learning experiences.

This year, in the show’s second season, episodes were recorded at Meade, Southern, Severna Park, and Chesapeake high schools. The season also included a behind-the-scenes component that further expanded the show’s student voice focus by capturing the stories, experiences, and perspectives of students at each filming location.

In addition to Nesbitt and Cloyd, students Andrew Veilleux and Kailyn Beath, who have directed the episodes, and student apprentices Will Andrione, Zoe Dangerfield and Gloria Owolabi shared in the award.

For more information about School Sounds and other projects, visit the AACPS Student Voices page at www.aacps.org/studentvoice. Information about AACPS TV programming can also be found at www.aacps.org/cable.