BackStage Pass Cohort II
at the Bittker Center in
Holly in January
BackStage Pass' Bittker Retreat introduces teens to Detroit's potential.
Randi Goode
Teen2Teen Writer
W
hen most people look at
the city of Detroit, they see
car companies, torn-down
buildings and few people. When I look
at Detroit, however, I envision a soaring
career in the future. I imagine living life
fully in one of the most underestimated
cities in the country.
To me, Detroit is a unique city, and I
am so grateful that the BackStage Pass
program allows me to see this firsthand.
All 22 members of Cohort II will have
the opportunity to meet with successful
businesspeople in Detroit, tour the area
"behind the scenes" and eventually earn
an internship in this thriving city.
A weekend retreat at the David L. Bittker
Center in Holly in January allowed Cohort
II members to meet one another for the
first time. Though we did not know each
other at first because we attend different
schools, this weekend really brought us
together as a BSP community. The retreat
made me excited about the next four years
in the program. I am especially looking
forward to the field trips.
I was first introduced to the BackStage
Pass program at a BBYO retreat at Camp
Tamarack. A representative from the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
spoke to us about this innovative oppor-
tunity, and this piqued my interest in the
program. I knew that many people had lit-
tle hope for the city of Detroit, but I want-
ed to be a part of the idealistic group that
did. I am so glad I joined this inspiring
program, and I am really looking forward
to the opportunities that lie ahead for me
— and BackStage Pass Cohort II. ❑
Rand! Goode, 16, of West
Bloomfield attends West
Bloomfield High School.
Take Two
BackStage Pass Cohort II visits Detroit's filmmakers to learn about the industry.
Hannah Fine
Teen2Teen Writer
A:
s part of the hands-on tours
involved in the BackStage Pass
program, the group spent an
awesome afternoon learning about the
film and digital media industries and
their prominence in Metro Detroit.
We started at Studio Center in
Farmington Hills, where we took our title
of "BackStage Pass" to a literal level. We
got to see many of the elements film-
making entails, including state-of-the-art
equipment, which, we learned, has to be
engineered with incredible precision. We
then visited the set of a Kellogg's Crunchy
Nut cereal commercial and met with the
director. He was very enthusiastic and
told us about the detailed procedure of
completing a single commercial.
After this, we moved on to a different
category of media and discovered how
video games are made. We previewed new
games being developed in Metro Detroit
and were walked through the process. It
was exciting to see these innovative ideas
come to life with a game in the making.
The owner recently moved his business to
Detroit because of the reasonable cost of
living and the open-minded atmosphere.
It was uplifting to see that, despite the
media's focus, Detroit and its suburbs are
a great place to be.
We met next with Oakland County
Treasurer Andy Meisner to learn about
the political aspect of the industry. We
spoke with Meisner about his involve-
ment in the state film bill and tax breaks
for the film industry. He explained the
logistics of the bill and the benefits it
provided. It was refreshing to hear about
such a scrutinized piece of legislation
from one if its authors. We discussed
the relationship between the bill and the
development of Detroit as an up-and-
coming city. Having the ability to ask
questions and share opinions on the mat-
ter provided for an interesting discussion,
which sparked a lot of thought through-
out the group.
Meisner also spoke about his political
journey from the State House to county
treasurer. He recognized Judaism as a key
component in his persistence and will to
better the community. It really struck a
chord with us to hear that he came from a
background very similar to ours and has
been able to make a profound impact.
Our day of traveling around Metro
Detroit turned into an inside look at
every aspect of the film industry. This
first program provided us with a new
perspective of what our city can do. It
highlighted the importance of seizing
opportunity and running with it. We
saw it applied in the incredible imagina-
tions of video game developers and in
the political — or, as Meisner said it —
"public service" arena. ❑
Hannah Fine, 16, of
West Bloomfield attends
West Bloomfield High
School.
June 7
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