By Jill Fox
Whether it’s a reminder to grab a sweater or to head to the farmers’ market, these two Parkland girls have your back.
Heron Bay residents Vanessa Rodriguez Walker and Ava DellaPolla, both 11, formed the Parkland News Crew to inform the public of local happenings.
In just three weeks, the duo has produced ten videos, from city events and fundraisers to features on local businesses.
“My mom had the idea because I love my tv production class, and Vanessa is involved in theater,” said Ava, who attends sixth grade at Somerset Parkland Academy with Vanessa.
Ava’s mom, Denise DellaPolla, thought, why not have them join forces and start a video news outlet through Facebook and Instagram.
The girls began recording the videos for fun but may also be interested in pursuing careers in broadcasting. Vanessa, who has been involved in Broadway Bound since second grade, is getting ready to play the role of Shrek on April 8 in her school theater production.
“We like doing the videos because we get to be ourselves and have some fun,” said Ava, whose favorite was the Parkland Family Fun Fest Carnival on January 14, currently with over 1400 views.
Vanessa’s mom, Amy Walker, films all of the videos, and the girls post them on Instagram and Facebook. Their goal is to make other children aware of the events around town.
“There are so many things happening in Parkland – we didn’t know about all of this until we got started,” said Vanessa.
The girls, whose tagline is to make sure to “always be kind and make good choices,” have made their mothers very proud.
Denise said, “As parents, we plant the seed and watch them grow, and that’s just what I did.”
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