Farmhouse Retreat Inc

The farmhouse studio was activated this year in a variety of fashions. We created a commercial challenge that offered an eight week course on creating and producing a short advertisement for a local business. The coursework covered scripting, production, editing, sound and marketing of the commercial. There were 5 teams of local high school students that participated in the commercial challenge with a ny-based film producer as the instructor of this master class. Additionally, the farmhouse conducted several interviews of students who participated in the various programs at the farmhouse, to share their stories and also talk about their experiences, growth and learnings at the farmhouse. These were incredible short films that were edited and produced by other high school students, showing students that they can be both in front of and behind the camera. Finally, one of the most successful experiences at the farmhouse was the edtv film festival. The farmhouse hosted 350 people (students, families, community members, and judges). There were 30+ films that were screened and judged at this festival and the winner of the festival was able to premier their short film at boston film festival, which was a unique and unheard of experience for a high school student to be entered into a professional film festival. This was one of the most impactful events at the farmhouse

In 2023, the farmhouse phase 1 solar solution was analyzed, designed and implemented. This initiative provided a strong learning opportunity for local families and community members to understand how solar can be used to offset current electricity consumption. The phase 1 solar effort produced 40% of the farmhouse energy from an installation on one of the buildings on the property. This effort gained attention from eversource and in september, the evp, green energy strategy at eversource joined dr. Jane goodall at the farmhouse to discuss this innovative solution as a scalable solution for communities around the south shore.

The farmhouse team commissioned a local high school art student to translate the farmhouse philosophy into a mural on a 40' shipping container. This innovative art project was executed in partnership with plymouth south high school art department and was executed by a team of 5-7 art students, led by senior art student steven quinn. The result of the art mural was an incredible vista art mural that showed the core philosophies, values and assets of the farmhouse experience. Steven submitted this project as part of their college admissions portfolio for savannah college of art & design, and they were accepted early decision. Additionally, this art project was the first time that steven had directed a collaboration of students, each with their separate views and perspectives on the project and marshaled all teammates to create a beautiful mural. Finally, this project was recognized by the farmhouse during the senior awards night, where the team presented steven with creator of the year award, that was accompanied by a 1000 scholarship for their college expenses.