The National YoungArts Foundation has awarded Coleman Andersen an Honorable Mention in Cinematic Arts in recognition of the “exceptional artistic achievement” evident in his work.

The YoungArts program identifies and supports young talent in the areas of music, theater, visual arts, photography, writing, and cinematic arts (motion picture). Coleman’s production was selected for honors from more than 11,000 submissions nationwide through a blind adjudication process by a nationally and internationally renowned panel of judges, master teachers, and artists.

A third year student in Ballard’s Digital Filmmaking Program, Coleman is no stranger to recognition. His short film Air Pressure, created with classmates Leo Pfeifer and Josh Vredevoogd, has already won awards at the Northwest High School Film Festival, Fresh Film Northwest, and the Northwest Regional Emmy Awards. The short concerns a catastrophe at the World Balloon Animal Championships. His documentary Clipped Wings, created with classmates Duncan Gowdy and Leo Pfeifer, has also been a success at festivals and on YouTube, were it has received over 195,000 views. It explores the ban on gays in the Boy Scouts of America.

A senior at BHS, Coleman has gained admission to some of the most competitive and prestigious college programs for film and television production in the country. Next fall he’ll be studying filmmaking at New York University.

This is the second year in a row that a student from Ballard High School’s Digital Filmmaking Program has been awarded by the YoungArts Foundation. For more information on the program, visit the program blog at www.bhsvideo.blogspot.com .