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Schools

Six Questions for a San Marino Local: Teen Filmmaker Abby Shamray

A local high school student takes on the San Marino six.

While most teenagers her age are spending their last weeks of summer vacation shopping for new school supplies and relaxing in the sun, student Abby Shamray is busy working on her first documentary film.

Shamray is making a 10-minute documentary on the historic .

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“I’ve always had an interest in making movies and documentaries ever since I was little,” said the high school student. “This is the first movie that I’ve made besides small projects for class. For my US History class this summer, I made a small documentary about the gold rush but it was only about six minutes long.”

For Shamray, the Michael White Adobe is a cause that’s close to home. Shamray’s mother is the president of the Friends of the Michael White Adobe.

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However, it wasn’t her mother’s urging that motivated her to pursue the documentary film. Shamray wanted to get the word out about the forgotten building on her high school campus.

“When I learned about the adobe on campus, not many students knew about it,” said Shamray. “It really interested me because we have this piece of history right on campus that has such a prominent part in early California history and yet not many people know about it. I think it should be a more prominent part in the community and more people should know about it.”

Shamray’s documentary will also be used toward earning her Girl Scout Gold Award. She is also working with the to have the film shown in elementary school classrooms as part of the curriculum.

“A lot of the documentary is going to consist of old photographs as well as interviews and footage of the adobe today,” said Shamray. “There is going to be a lot of narration over photographs.”

While she has finished filming her interviews, Shamray still has to edit the footage and finish her outline. She hopes to have the film completed by August 22.

Shamray took time out of her movie-making schedule to take on the San Marino Six.

What do you like most about San Marino?

I like the community and how close everyone is. It’s a great community feeling--there is a lot of support within it.

What is your favorite restaurant in San Marino?

. They have really great food and it’s right by my house. I can go down there in the morning and get toast and coffee.

What is your favorite place in San Marino to take a stroll or go for a run?

Along Huntington Drive because it's so busy. You really feel the sense of community and there are great shops along the way.

What is a little known fact about you?

I’m currently training for a triathlon.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Cookies and cream and mint--all mixed together and vegan. It has to be made with coconut milk.

What other activities have you been up to this summer?

I’ve actually had a lot of time to do other things as well. I finished up summer school and I went on a trip to Korea.

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