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About Areya Simmons
I was born April 5th, 1989 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I grew up and went to school in the beautiful hills of Somerset County for nine years. On weekends, I visited my grandmother in Pittsburgh. In sixth grade, I contracted mercury poisoning from a contaminated piece of tuna fish. After eighteen months of chelation, I was healed. At the end of eighth grade, my mother and I moved back to Pittsburgh. I then attended a high school in Pittsburgh for a semester until I contracted mercury poisoning for a second time from a mercury spill in a classroom. Seven months later, the toxin was cleared. My mother homeschooled me from then on. In my sophomore year of high school, I took a dual-curricula graphic design class at the Community College of Allegheny County and received a top grade. With that class, I discovered a liking of graphic design, and I utilize it to this day. Throughout the rest of my high school experience, I took three more college classes and received an A in all of them. I have also been extremely dedicated to my community, and have volunteered when I have time. I have been a part of The First Tee of Pittsburgh at Schenley Golf Course for over seven years, and have volunteered for numerous organizations, including the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the Council Of Three Rivers American Indian Center (COTRAIC). From 2001 to 2005, I developed a passion for film and fiction literature. During the summer of 2005, I made my first film, a documentary short on mercury contamination called 'Hg and Me'. It won two awards from the SciTech Spectacular Bayer Creating Awareness and Understanding of our Surrounding Environment (C.A.U.S.E.) Challenge. It was later chosen as an Official Selection in the 3rd Annual Denver International Indigenous Film & Arts Festival. I continue to make films and am now double-majoring at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Film and Television, and Sound Design.
Areya Simmons At A Glance
Full Name: Areya Isabel Simmons Birthdate: April 5th, 1989 Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America, North America, Earth, Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Universe ;) Zodiac Sign: Aries (Ram) Chinese Zodiac Sign: Snake (Earth) Birthstone: Diamond
Skills:
* Filmmaking * Directing * Producing * Editing * Website Design * Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML) * Organizing * Podcasting
Interests:
Filmmaking/Directing/Producing/Editing Music and Sound Design
Favorite Books:
The Lord of the Rings - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Favorite Music:
Yes Sir James Galway Nicholas Hooper Annie Lennox Josh Groban Celtic Woman Charlotte Church
Favorite Movies:
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Favorite Quotes:
"To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give one's self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm, and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them. But the one thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward. Maybe they have to be crazy. How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art? Or sit in silence and hear a song that's never been written? Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels? We make tools for these kinds of people. While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do." - Jack Kerouac "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." - Marrianne Williamson ""Storytelling is the creative demonstration of truth." - Robert McKee
"The best reason for having dreams is that in dreams no reasons are necessary." - Ashleigh (EllWood) Brilliant
"Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!" - Inigo Montoya, 'The Princess Bride'
"I am no man!" - Eowyn, 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'
"Books and ideas are the most effective weapons against intolerance and ignorance." - Lyndon Johnson
"You bow to no one." - Aragorn to the hobbits, 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'
"Put your rock in your hands,
"The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible." - Albert Einstein
"Don't frown because it's over. Smile because it happened."
"The unwillingness to forgive is like drinking poison expecting the other person to die."
"Mediocrity always attacks excellence."
"The only difference between reality and fiction is that fiction has to be credible." - Mark Twain
"It is horrible that we have to fight our own government to save the environment." - Ansel Adams
"Living well is the best revenge."
"Every burned book enlightens the world." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
All that is gold does not glitter,
Favorite TV Shows:
Medium
- BELOW IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION (the layout, not the content; the content is all true) -Academics and the Arts
Honor Roll throughout grade school and all the way into high school. High Honors from 8th grade to the present Nationally recognized as an Honor Roll Scholar by the United States Achievement Academy Current GPA: 4.65/3.98 not weighted Dual Curriculum courses at CCAC (Community College of Allegheny County): ART 168 Digital Imaging A ART 250 Digital Graphic Design I A
HIS 102 History of Western Civilization II A
Drawing I A Experienced in Photoshop from 6.0 up to Photoshop CS Participant in the University of Pittsburgh Mini-Med School Program
Filmography
Became an Artist Member of Pittsburgh Filmmakers, February 24, 2006.
Competency in HTML 4.0, Digital Video, Digital Editing, and Sound Editing including Photoshop, Audacity, Final Cut Express and Final Cut Pro HD “Hg & Me” written, directed, and produced by Areya I. Simmons Winner, Viewer’s Choice Award, Bayer C.A.U.S.E. Challenge First Runner-up, Bayer CAUSE Challenge, juried category, Oct. 2005 “Hg & Me” Official Selection for the International Indigenous Institute for Natural Resource Management Denver Film Festival, September, 2006 “Three Rivers Film Festival” commercial, walk-on for Nov. 2005 ads Music and Voice Coursework/Performance
Member of the Shade choir throughout elementary school through 8th grade Member of the Woodland Hills High School Choir while attending in 2003 Member of the Wilkinsburg Community Choir and their performance with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra 2004-2006 Attended Duquesne University Mary Pappert School of Music, City Music Center (CMC) Program in Voice, Advanced Eurhythmics, and Musicianship
Golf Summary: GHIN Handicap - 5.3Wins: 24 Runner-up: 23 Number of tournaments: 107 Never worse than T15 High School Matches: Girls Team, Woodland Hills High School #1 girl Notables: 2005 5th Place Nike Junior National Championship at Sawgrass 2004 PJ Boatwright State Champion (PA) 2004 Bi-State Junior Golf Challenge participant for Team Pennsylvania 2003 Pittsburgh Junior Girls Champion 2003 Pittsburgh Women’s Amateur Champion 2005 4th place alone WPGA Women’s Amateur 2002 Eastern States Champion-Minority Golf Associations 15 states and the Caribbean 2001 CAM-AM Junior Girls (Ryder Cup Style Event) Representing the U.S. Beachwood Country Club, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, and clinics with CLPGA at St. Catherine’s Country Club, St. Catherine’s, Ontario, Canada Employment/Internship/Externship Activities
The First Tee of Pittsburgh
Written articles for The First Tee of Pittsburgh Website Prepared Internet mailings, post cards, holiday cards, etc. for site Designed and assisted with website design and IT trouble-shooting Consulting
Clients seeking assistance in HTML, website development and design from
the world of small business, politicians, community leaders, non-profit organizations, etc. Work is done on an hourly basis, pro-rated to the quarter hour. Volunteer/Service to the CommunityThe First Tee Of Pittsburgh
Seven (7) years of volunteer service, including assisting with registration
Work with Citiparks, and then the newly established The First Tee Beginning in 1999 Attending The First Tee National Academy-2003 and 2004; the latter For Consideration as a Finalist in The First Tee Open at Pebble Beach Newsletter, HTML, and assisted in design work first as a volunteer, And later as an employee of The First Tee at Schenley Park Assisted in numerous fundraisers during the year including the Labor Day weekend events, winter clinics, and standard-bearer representing The First Tee at the Senior PGA Championship at Laurel Valley in Ligonier, PA-2005 Currently an Eagle Level Participant/Instructor for youth/junior Clinics held for the public and various non-profit organizations The American Red Cross
Seven (7) years of volunteer work in a variety of ways in assisting in Fundraisers, blood drives, disaster relief work, food preparation and Distribution, flood relief, computer data entry, phone bank work, and disaster relief training and certification.Community Non-profit Organizations
Over ten (10) years of work with various non-profit organizations in the Region, including our local churches, The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, COTRAIC (The Council of Three Rivers American Indian Ctr.), local women’s shelters, The Salvation Army, etc. |
Mission Statement: Learn everything I can about turning life into moving pictures and sound, bring about new solutions, and change the world for the better.