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Dreaming At Blue Ridge: The Gideon Intern Program

by Kay Mortimer  
8/01/2008 / Teen Issues

The beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in April: A place of reflection. A place of beauty. A place of dreams. For the Gideon Interns who attended the Gideon Media Arts Conference and Film Festival, it may be the closest thing to heaven on the planet. Dreams were ignited, and hope for fulfillment skyrocketed.
Five interns, aged sixteen to eighteen years old, attended the 1st Annual Gideon Media Arts Conference and Film Festival in Ridgecrest, NC from April 14-18, 2008. All came with high hopes and lofty dreams. None left disappointed. All were encouraged to pursue their dreams and seek God's direction for their gifts.
Vonda Skelton and Sarah Anne Sumpolec directed the Gideon Intern program. The students who participated delighted in the individual time, attention, and training they received. Seventeen-year-old intern, Nicholas Sailer, raved: "It was phenomenal meeting people like Phil Vischer (creator of Veggie Tales) and Ken Wales (producer of the movie, Amazing Grace, and the award-winning TV series, Christy), and to eat meals with them. They are such geniuses and it's amazing. I'm very glad I came and plan to come next year. Definitely, I encourage anyone to come and learnI encourage others to join the Gideon Intern program." Another teen raved, "This has been the greatest experience of my entire life."
Co-Director Vonda Skelton said, "God put gifts in you before you were born and to use them is obedienceIf we're going to change the culture of Hollywood, we must do it generationallyTrain them when they're youngHow many opportunities would a sixteen-year-old have to sit at a table with world-known producers and talk to them? All the interns left with connections and business cards of producers." Co-Director Sarah Anne Sumpolec added, "The arts exist to bring glory to God." The students were encouraged to seek God's direction for how He might use them to redeem our media.
All of the students learned teamwork as they worked together to produce a DVD during the week. The DVD debuted at the final conference session to a round of applause, and can be viewed online through the conference website. Encouraged to continue honing their craft of writing, they left the conference with new passion and hope for their future. In fact, one plans to attend Regent University to study filmmaking. Fires ignited for all in their future pursuits.
The 2009 Gideon Media Arts Conference promises continued encouragement and direction to a new, and returning, group of Gideon Interns. For sixteen to eighteen-year-old teens interested in Christian media arts, the Intern program offers intense training in honing their craft, networking opportunities with well-known industry professionals, and a plethora of encouragement from other aspiring Christian artists and authors.
Interested in Christian Media Arts? Involved in church drama? Songwriting? Acting? Scriptwriting? Film production? Radio or webcasting? Don't miss your opportunity! Plan to come to the 2009 Gideon Media Arts Conference and Film Festival from May 31 through June 4, 2009 at the Ridgecrest Conference Center in beautiful Ridgecrest, NC. Let the Blue Ridge Mountains become a place where you not only enjoy their beauty but also their inspiration.
Early-bird registrants receive a discount of $25 off the fee for all registrations received by August 31, 2008. Don't delay. Visit the conference website, www.gideonfilmfestival.com, and sign up today. See what great things God has in store for you in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of NC. See how God might launch you from Blue Ridge for His glory.

Kay Mortimer lives in Aiken, SC, with her husband. She writes Biblical, inspirational, and devotional materials, including screenplays, meditations, and articles. She attends River of Life Church in Aiken, and volunteers in the community in various ways.

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