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An innovative pen pal program teaches kindergarteners that reading, writing, and diversity can all be learned through their First Letters.

First Letters is a compelling story about two different kindergarten classes brought together by a pen pal program. The letters written between rural Newberry Elementary and urban Rawlings Elementary, only 20 miles apart, show a new way to tackle school segregation. Meeting their pen pals in person shows these young children that even though they look different, they're very much the same. This innovative program teaches kindergarteners that reading, writing, and diversity can all be learned through their First Letters.

Shane Hamstra has been producing films for over five years, and has been working in education for three. After receiving a Bachelor's degree from the University of South Florida he attended the New York Film Academy's Los Angeles division. From this experience Shane honed his skills as an independent filmmaker. His experience as a substitute teacher for first through twelfth grades prepared him for his teaching assistantship in UF's Telecommunications College. Shane spent the summer of 2006 interning at the Independent Television Service (ITVS) in San Francisco, CA. In this position he worked on the production of the nationally televised series Independent Lens and in the ITVS programming department. Shane recently completed co-producing and co-directing the documentary First Letters at the Documentary Institute at the University of Florida. Upon graduation in May Shane is looking forward to getting married and moving to Chicago, IL to continue making films.

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Bradley Smith has a background in both psychology and graphic design. He has worked with several behavioral health organizations. Most notably while working for Triple R Behavioral Health in Phoenix AZ he helped create an art therapy program, for one of the most difficult group homes in the city. His professional design work was focused within the realm of informational marketing, and digital printing. Bradley earned a Bachelor degree in psychology from the University of Colorado, in addition to an art degree for the California College of the Arts. Currently, Bradley is working for the Meridian Behavioral Healthcare.

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Directed and Produced By

Shane Hamstra and Bradley Smith

Cinematography and Editing

Shane Hamstra and Bradley Smith

Music By

Seth Liberman and Rondo Brothers

Special Thanks To

University of Florida Documentary Institute
Churchill Roberts
Sandra Dickson
Cara Pilson
Cindy Hill
Katie Chowdhury
Kristen Shumbera
Emery Bishop
M.K. Rawlings Elementary
Lacy Redd
Newberry Elementary
The School Board of Alachua County
The Ashby Family
Crystal Johnson
Christina Johnson and Markel Bannister
The Richardson Family
The Wooten Family
Dr. Doug Harris
Dr. Dorene Ross
Terrence Pollard
Kirsten Biondich
Craig Harris
Hamstra Media, LLC

And all our kindergarten friends.
Thanks you for sharing your classrooms with us.

First Letters is produced in Conjunction with the Documentary Institute
College of Journalism and Communications
The University of Florida