Summit K12 Wins Prestigious Telly Award
(AUSTIN, TEXAS, UNITED STATES, July 11, 2024) In a remarkable testament to its innovative approach to learning, the media team at Summit K12 has been honored with the prestigious Golden Telly Award.
Recognized for excellence in video and television across all screens, Summit K12’s cutting-edge educational content and videos have set a new standard in the industry. From personalized learning to whole group class instruction, our award-winning videos enhance Science learning across the board.
This award celebrates the company’s commitment to delivering engaging and transformative educational experiences, blending technology and pedagogy to inspire learners worldwide.
The accolade displays Summit K12’s incredible talent in educational media and highlights its unwavering dedication to fostering a brighter, more informed future.
What are The Telly Awards?
According to their site, The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens. Founded in 1979 to honor local, regional and cable television commercials, with non-broadcast video and television programming added soon after, the award has evolved with the rise of digital video to include branded content, documentary, social media, immersive and more. The Telly Awards today celebrates the best work in the video medium in an exciting new era of the moving image on and offline.
The Telly Awards annually showcases the best work created within television and across video, for all screens. Receiving over 12,000 entries globally from 6 continents and all 50 states, Telly Award winners represent work from some of the most respected advertising agencies, television stations, production companies and publishers from around the world. The Telly Awards recognizes work that has been created on behalf of a client, for a specific brand and/or company, or self-directed as a creative endeavor.
In this article, we highlight the media team, their amazing work for students at Summit K12, and they share their tips for other creators who are looking to make a difference in the media and education ecosystem.
The Telly Award Winners
In an exclusive sit-down interview with the winning media crew, we also delve into the creative minds behind the Telly Award winners. These distinguished individuals have been honored for their exceptional contributions to the educational media landscape – transforming storytelling through innovative cinematography, compelling narratives, and groundbreaking visuals.
Join us as we explore their journeys, inspirations, and the unique challenges they overcame to achieve this prestigious recognition, shedding light on what it takes to produce award-winning content in today’s dynamic media landscape.
For this project, the following people contributed to the award-winning video.
- Directed and Produced by: Christina Flygstad
- Written by: Clairissa Simmons
- Edited by: Ricardo J. Santiago & Cory Venable
- Cinematography by: George Dockery & Ronnie Kelly
- Graphics by: Charlie Long
Below you will find a short interview with each of our winners. Some of the interviews have been edited and condensed for reading purposes.
The Winning Telly Award Video: Brazos Bend State Park, Middle School
Meet Telly Award Winning Producer and Director, Christina Flygstad
Robyn Shulman: Christina, can you tell us about yourself?
Christina Flygstad: I’m a 17x Telly Award-Winning Video Producer with expertise in corporate marketing and creative video production.
Shulman: What was unique about the Brazos Bend State Park film? Why do you think this specific video won the Golden Telly?
Flygstad: We had the opportunity to film at several Texas parks that were exceptional in their own way. Brazos Bend was one of the most multifaceted locations we visited, but the one thing that drew me in were the alligators at this specific park.
Shulman: Can you elaborate more about Brazos Bend?
Flygstad: Several parks had a “shining star,” which was certainly the case for Brazos Bend. However, when the crew and I arrived, the park was larger and more breathtaking than we could’ve imagined, and we captured an abundance of what Brazos Bend had to offer.
Shulman: Why do you think this video won the Gold Telly?
Flygstad: This video won a Gold Telly for a couple of reasons.
1. The park itself. The beauty of the vast ecosystem did a lot of the heavy lifting.
2. The planning. For instance, when we were producing in this location, I had to be intentional about when to film. The park would’ve looked wildly different if we filmed in Fall/Winter instead of Spring.
3. The crew. The team I assembled for this project brought their A-game from pre-to post-production.
They constantly sought opportunities to elevate what they had just captured or edited. All of these pieces and more had to work together to create the award-winning video you see!
Shulman: How does receiving such a prestigious recognition feel, and what does this award mean to you?
Flygstad: This award means more than I can say! It’s 1 of 2 Gold Telly’s I’ve won in my career, so it feels validating for the content I’ve made and my career as a Producer to receive this accolade.
Shulman: What advice would you give aspiring creators and filmmakers hoping to achieve similar recognition?
Flygstad: I would tell any aspiring creator or filmmaker to explore and learn everything you can within the creative industry. The more skills you have in your back pocket, the more desirable and irreplaceable you’ll be. Also, keep your eyes open for every opportunity to elevate yourself and your craft. There are always ways to take your content from an 8 or 9 to an 11 or 12. Lastly, be open to criticism. Believing in your work is important, but you’re not the only creative in the room. Use each other to push the boundaries of creativity. You got this!
Meet Ricardo J. Santiago, Filmmaker, Photographer, and Editor
Ricardo Santiago is an Award-Winning filmmaker and published photographer based in Dallas. He brings a wealth of experience to Summit K12, and has nearly a decade of production expertise under his belt.
He is a 9x Telly Award-Winning Creative who has worked on winning 12 awards.
With nearly ten years of professional experience, Santiago has created content for several global brands, including AT&T, Electrosonic, Verizon, Intel, DLA Piper, and Bose. His photography has been seen in TIME Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and textbooks nationwide since August 2024.
Currently, he holds the pivotal role of Post-Production Producer at Summit K12, where he leads the quality control of the post-production process. Notable projects under his guidance include the first seasons of Summit K12’s flagship shows, Dynamic Science with Kate the Chemist, and Virtual Field Investigations.
Previously, he was the Creative Lead at MarketScale, where he supervised a team of 25 editors, created and presented company-wide training, and revitalized the post-production process by optimizing and automating editing workflows.
Thoughts on Winning the Telly Award
Shulman: What impact do you hope your work will have on the industry or on future projects by other creators?
Santiago: As the consequences of climate change continue to increase year after year, human impact inadvertently became the core of the “Virtual Field Investigations” project and was, as such, a constant point of conversation between the crew and Park Rangers.
To that end, I hope there are two results: First, these projects serve as tools to educate and inspire the next generation, ensuring they understand the gravity of conservation and the critical role that State Parks play in that effort.
Second, I hope the next generation continues to create new films and content about these spaces and their importance, reaffirming these same messages to the next wave of young adults.
Some of Ricardo’s Award-Winning Work
Introducing Cory Venable, Cinematographer, Video Editor, and Writer
Cory Venable is a Cinematographer, Video Editor, and Writer — but his true essence lies in his role as a Storyteller. With a decade of experience in the video industry, Venable’s passion for storytelling is the driving force behind his work.
Venable started his career in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, creating short films with his friends. These brief but significant films taught him the basics of filming and composing shots, marking the beginning of his lifelong career.
In 2014, he founded his own wedding video business.
Venable also spent time in the advertising world, working on commercials, with modeling agencies during fashion week, and collaborating with celebrities. Venable states, “I was driven to create and craft stories, striving to make them the best they could be.”
In 2020, he moved from Baton Rouge to Dallas, Texas, and worked with talented filmmakers. He learned new techniques from industry professionals. Together, they have won several awards for their clients — such as Bose, Electrosonic, AT&T, and more.
In 2023, he embarked on a new chapter in his video journey with Summit K12. Today, his focus has shifted to creating educational content. His projects, such as Dynamic Science with Kate the Chemist and Virtual Field Investigations, are not just videos, but tools that enhance the learning experience.
He states, “No longer working solely to better big brands, I now work to enhance the education system and students’ minds.”
See Cory’s Work in Action
Advice for Winning the Telly Award
Shulman: What advice would you give aspiring creators and filmmakers hoping to achieve similar recognition?
Venable: My advice to aspiring creators and filmmakers is cliché but true: never give up. Whenever you think you’re not good enough to work in this industry, remember that I started as a total novice whom nobody wanted to hire.
In my early years, I applied to many advertising agencies and faced rejection time after time. One day, I got tired of letting others tell me I wasn’t good enough for this industry and decided to insert myself into it by starting my own video business. I knew I had what it took, and nobody could tell me otherwise.
Fast forward to 2024, and I have won several awards and traveled across the US and Japan, filming, editing videos, and telling unique stories.
If someone like me can start at ground zero and have a successful career in this profession, so can you.
Meet Charlie Long, Graphic Designer and Illustrator
Charlie Long is a dedicated graphic designer and illustrator with a BFA in Communication Design from the University of North Texas.
With a solid foundation in digital and print design, Charlie has honed her skills through roles such as Lead Marketing Graphic Designer at Summit K12, Graphics Associate at Solar Art, and Graphic Designer at MarketScale.
Charlie is known for her expertise in creating modern collateral, infographics, social media content, and motion graphics. Her talent in art knows no bounds.
Her proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, along with her several accolades, including the Sophomore Outstanding Portfolio Honoree and the UNT Excellence Scholarship, further demonstrates her commitment and success in graphic design.
For the Telly award, Charlie designed and animated the Virtual Fields Investigation logo and title card.
What the Telly Award Means to Charlie
Shulman: How does it feel to receive such a prestigious recognition, and what does this award mean to you and your team?
Long: Though my contribution to this project was relatively small, I feel honored to be able to work with such a wonderful and creative team. They have gone above and beyond to bring high quality cinematography to the world of education, and I can’t wait to see what great work we are able to create in the future.
Interested in a product demo featuring some of our Award-Winning Talent?
Request a Demo for any of our Connect to Literacy or Dynamic Science Programs.
