Former Baltimore Police Department trainer wins
ScriptED Contest, $10k grand prize plus $15k bonus gift during 2020
Sundance Film Festival
During the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, Strayer University, in
partnership with The Blackhouse Foundation — a leading voice
working to elevate and increase the number of diverse voices in
filmmaking — announced the winner of ScriptED, a nationwide
competition to discover a talented, up-and-coming scriptwriter who
can help bring real perspectives to Strayer’s Criminal Justice
program. While at Sundance, Strayer and The Blackhouse Foundation
will host a panel on the impact of authentic storytelling through
film on the future of education.
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Photo credit: The Blackhouse
Foundation
Donald Dankwa Brooks was awarded first place for his original
script that demonstrated a keen awareness of the complex
perspectives surrounding criminal justice. He was one of five
finalists — selected from the more than 100 submissions that came
from competitors across the country — awarded a trip to the
Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah to pitch their scripts to
a panel of esteemed judges. The judges included representatives
from Strayer University, The Blackhouse Foundation, the criminal
justice system, and the film and television industry.
To recognize the unexpectedly high caliber of the final scripts,
each of the four finalists were given a $10,000 gift from Strayer.
In addition to the $10,000 grand prize for winning the contest,
Brooks also received an additional $15,000 gift from Strayer.
Brooks also won the opportunity to be a writer in residence with
Strayer Studios — a production team dedicated to infusing course
curriculum with cinematic content to better engage students and
help them grasp subject matter in more meaningful ways.
“We are proud to announce Donald as the winner of the ScriptED
competition. His script captured the complexities and community
experiences surrounding criminal justice in a powerful way,” said
Karl McDonnell, CEO of Strategic Education, Inc. (SEI), the parent
company of Strayer University. “Strayer Studios is dedicated to
engaging students by infusing course curriculum with cinematic
content. Brooks has developed a concept that we believe will
resonate with students and bring Strayer’s Criminal Justice program
to life. We’re thrilled to have him working alongside the Studios
team.”
The contest called for an original script that addressed the key
principles and reality of community experiences in criminal justice
to spark debate and understanding of this topic among Strayer
University students.
“This is an amazing feeling. I can’t wait to join the Strayer
Studios team and bring my concept to life. I’m proud to be part of
this important movement to advance criminal justice learning and
spark debate among Strayer students,” said Brooks.
Brooks, from Brooklyn, NY, is a screenwriter and filmmaker who
formerly worked to build scenario-based training materials for the
Baltimore Police Department. As a writer in residence, Brooks will
work with Emmy Award-winning filmmakers to develop a series of
educational videos that pair with course curriculum, over a
six-month period.
“We were impressed with the authentic story Donald told in his
script that we believe will spark a sincere debate and better
understanding of criminal justice among Strayer University
students,” said Brickson Diamond, Chairman of The Blackhouse
Foundation. “As we work to elevate and champion diverse talent in
film, we hope to continue to partner with education institutions,
like Strayer University, to advance storytelling for these new
important audiences.”
A panel of judges evaluated submissions and participated during
the live pitch session at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival,
including Karl McDonnell; Nicole Cattell, Head of Strayer Studios;
Judge Victoria Pratt, former Chief Judge in Newark Municipal Court,
current Professor of Professional Practice at Rutgers University’s
School of Criminal Justice and nationally acclaimed advocate for
criminal justice reform; Aaliyah Williams, Founder and CEO of Just
A Rebel; and Brickson Diamond.
“Donald’s script about a rookie cop in training and the ethical
dilemmas he faces reflects cases our justice system encounters
every day. I believe it will draw students in, help them understand
the realities of the criminal justice system, and foster greater
compassion for the individuals, families and community members
impacted by it,” said Judge Pratt.
“Donald undoubtedly captures the nuances and complexities of
today's criminal justice system," said Williams. “His script
exhibits the difficult balance of insightful and authentic
storytelling while also managing to compel and entertain. I believe
his work will help increase student engagement in their course work
and I look forward to helping Donald elevate his work commercially
as well."
Strayer Studios and the ScriptED competition are part of a
series of initiatives by the University and SEI to support working
adult students, including the implementation of cutting-edge AI
technology and other programs to deliver student services and
support persistence towards degree completion. To learn more,
visit: https://www.strayer.edu/outcomes
About Strayer University: Founded in 1892, Strayer
University is an institution of higher learning for working adult
students. It offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in
business administration, accounting, information technology,
education, health services administration, public administration,
and criminal justice. Strayer University is accredited by the
Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street,
Philadelphia, PA, 19104 (267-284-5000, www.msche.org). The
Commission is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the
U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education
Accreditation. For more information, visit www.strayer.edu.
About The Blackhouse Foundation: The Blackhouse
Foundation works to expand opportunities for black content creators
by providing pathways to opportunities within film, television,
digital, and emerging platforms. Blackhouse provides opportunities
for minority creatives to learn about the financial, production,
marketing and distribution resources that will raise the profile of
their content, while also providing participants with a nucleus for
continuing support, community and education. To learn more, visit
www.theblackhouse.org.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200124005496/en/
Media: Strayer University Elaine Kincel
202-557-4920 Elaine.Kincel@strayer.edu
The Blackhouse Foundation Andre Watson 312-823-7024
Andre@thepurpleagency.com
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