Jan. 10, 2022

Take a photo. Move a figure. Repeat. Those are the steps that Sperreng Middle School eighth grade student Sylvia Hines used to create a stop motion animated video that recently was honored as winner of a Bill of Rights Day contest. Students from grades 3-12 across 10 states competed in the contest, which was sponsored by the United States Courts within the Seventh and Eighth Circuits. 

There was an art and an essay category, with grade levels divided between elementary, middle school and high school. The first 10 amendments of the United States Constitution make up the Bill of Rights..

“A week before I heard about this contest, I had taken a class on stop motion animation at an art museum,” Hines said. “It was fun, and I got inspired from someone who made similar characters that moved. I wanted to do that on my own, but didn’t know where to start.”

It was just a coincidence that this competition started around the same time, resulting in Sylvia’s first-place finish in the art category for the middle school portion of the contest. Students from Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin also participated. Overall, 300 students submitted entries, and winners were announced on Dec. 1.

Hines said that she probably worked over 60 hours to create the two and a half minute video. She had to look up information about the Bill of Rights in order to create it. 

“First, I made a script for how I wanted everything to move, for each of the 10 amendments in the Bill of Rights,” Hines said. “Then, I created a voice script to use, so I could make each piece for each amendment as I moved forward. You take a picture, move the figure a little bit and take another picture.”

Hines’ involvement at Sperreng includes membership in the equity club and German club. She’d like to get involved in sewing as she enjoys crafts.

“My favorite part was making the pieces,” Hines said. “I like crafting and it was fun to make the individual characters.”