Gordon Parks students invited to Paris

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Students at Gordon Parks Academy are getting the opportunity of a lifetime. They were invited to Paris to be a part of a book and documentary.

“Oh my goodness, what an opportunity that we can present to our students!” teacher Mary Delvecchio-Floro said.

Michael Cheers, a professor at San Jose State University, is creating a coffee table book called “Why I Needed Paris.” It is a compilation of Gordon Parks’ photography when he was on a life assignment in Paris. He wanted students at Gordon Parks Academy to help take some of the pictures and be a part of the documentary.

“My principal puts it beautifully,” Delvecchio-Floro said. “She says, to be able to impact one of our students and change the trajectory of their lives, and in the end, the trajectory of their family lives.”

Gordon Parks Academy follows in his footsteps as photographers, photojournalists, movie and music producers.

“This could really change the dynamics for them,” Delvecchio-Floro. “These are students that are very passionate about what they’re doing.”

Delvecchio-Floro says this opportunity will change their view of the world and immerse them in a new culture.

While the students are there, they will get to travel to different tourist sites, learn about history, and do photography with other students and professional Paris photographers.

Delvecchio-Floro says she has students who are considering photography as a future career.

“There are students in this building that are doing that,” Delvecchio-Floro said. “And I hire photographers for different events, and would I prefer the average Wichita student or the one that has a Paris portfolio and the Wichita portfolio?”

Ten to 12 students will get to go. To be chosen, they must write an essay and apply.

“They will really be able to take away so much and bring it back here to our community and just be able to help others, teach others, lead others based on that experience,” Delvecchio-Floro said.

Tyler Officer has been going to the school since kindergarten and says each year, the school grows in a different way.

“I feel like it’s actually going to make me a better photographer, especially with the fact that we get to meet like old photographers,” Officer said. “Like when we went on our trip not too long ago, we met a couple guys that actually worked with Mr. Parks, and it kind of encouraged me to keep going and trying.”

He is always trying to experience and learn new things.

“The Paris trip, I really want to go because it’s a different opportunity,” Officer said. “And like every year, we always have Mr. Gordon Parks’ son come up, and he always talks to us, and I’m like, well, since we finally got this opportunity, why don’t I take it and try my hardest to achieve? Because I like taking pictures. I’m really good at my pictures.”

Officer says he’s excited to learn from professionals in Paris.

“When you get an opportunity, never let it go,” Officer said. “Just keep trying because it might it might not help you at that time, but later on it, will help a lot.”

Lexia Patterson wants to be a photographer when she is older.

“I think it is a great opportunity to prove that I am a good photographer and will really help me get into more photography jobs,” Paterson said. “Taking photos in this beautiful place, I mean, getting all these good photos, and you could submit them to competitions, and people would pay lots of money for good photos from Paris. That would be a definitely good dream of mine to achieve, you know, especially in middle school going to Paris. I mean, imagine what I can do in college and beyond. That would be amazing.”