Arlington Hts. fourth-graders swept up by national video contest win

Kit Fitzgerald really wanted the "pencil" role in a video project at Dryden Elementary School in Arlington Heights last fall.

But so did everyone.

"It's fine. It turned out fine," said the upbeat fourth-grader. "I got the part of 'paper,' and I loved it. I was really good."

And so, at 10, Kit breezed through her very first Hollywood lesson. And now that the video is a hit, she can't even remember why she wanted to play the pencil so badly in the first place.

More Coverage Video Dryden Elementary's 'Swept Away'

"Swept Away" is the tragic story of what happens to art supplies when they're left on an art room floor.

Spoiler alert: Garbage cans are involved.

The video was recently awarded second place in a national competition out of Washington, D.C. More than 250 other student videos were entered in the contest, said Tricia Fuglestad, Dryden's art teacher.

The seventh annual "Shortie Awards" honor digital media productions created by students 7 to 18 years old. This year's ceremony was held Sunday at The Documentary Center at The George Washington University in Washington.

Seventeen Dryden students worked on the video for two months during their recess periods, Fuglestad said.

"They did everything for the video," she said. "They brainstormed the story. They were the directors, singers, artists and editors."

The students also created the costumes, learned and performed an original song, and experimented with a green screen, like what TV weather forecasters use, Fuglestad said.

Claire Stuckel, 10, was cast in the pivotal "pencil" role.

"I didn't feel any pressure. It was fun," she said. "I just tried out and the judges picked me. I really like singing and acting."

Krzys Chwala, 9, played the eraser. Nervous at first, he said he came to like being in front of the camera. Despite his newfound ease, Hollywood probably won't be in Krzys's future.

"I really want to be a chef, but you never know," he said. "I did really have a lot of fun."

The other Dryden students involved in the production were Ola Brzezinska, Emma Divyak, Neha Gandhi, Juliana Harr, Kevin Repple, Olivia Rodriguez, Carolyn Ryan, Kelsey Silva, Melania Sitko, Courtney Smith, Anthony Storniolo, Garrett Strother, Tripp Turchik and Megan Weiss.