I was diagnosed with ADD in 5th grade after a teacher noticed my lack of attention in class and constant frustration with math. I have taken medication throughout my educational career, which was a tough pill to swallow sometimes. Growing up and feeling somehow "less than" was a huge hurdle that I had to get over. I was stubborn about not wanting extra help because I didn't want to admit that I needed it. It wasn't until high school that I was finally mature enough to understand that accepting help was the right way to deal with my ADD.
I have wanted to do a personal project about growing up with ADD or ADHD for a long time.
I just didn't feel up to the challenge.
Meet Max Kaplan. Max is an 18 year old sophomore at Harrisburg High School. He lives in Sturgeon, Missouri on a farm with his mom and dad. Max was diagnosed with ADHD in 1st grade. At first he took Ritalin, but switched to a newer drug called Focalin. His ADHD affects his reading and English abilities, for which he was frustrated by throughout his childhood. He attended a private school in Columbia and continued to struggle with reading. His parents began to worry about his reading comprehension and had him tested. It was found that in 5th grade, Max was at a 2nd grade reading level. He was then moved to the Harrisburg school district. While he does well in school, he finds his personal confidence in the work he does on his family's farm with their cattle and steers. He is the president of his 4H club and often competes in cow shows around the country.
Here is the multimedia!
Even though I have turned it into Rita, I plan to hopefully still work with Max and work on this story. Please comment with your thoughts!
Here are some of my favorite selects and outtakes:
1 comment:
Eve,
Overall I think you did a solid job trying to show visually something that is VERY difficult to convey through stills. You certainly have some strong singles in there, which is crucial to keeping a multimedia piece moving forward. I felt it was a little farm heavy. I'm sure that's what he does a lot, but it got me feeling like it was a little visually repetitive in parts. His mothers voice kind of drones on. I think I'd like to hear more of him and less of her. It's not your fault, but I get lost in the repetitive tones of her voice.
The best part about this is knowing the struggles you went through to get here, and still attempt to tell a story that's internal, rather than external. Good on ya for sticking with it, you should be proud!
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