A Southwest High School student has earned a First Place Award.

Karissa Ruiz Ovando, a senior at Southwest, took the First Place award in the Region 1 Suicide Prevention Category of the Directing Change Program and Film Contest for her original animated film." I am Seen". The award-winning animation, created in the Design Animation class, will now advance to the statewide round of judging. Karissa is a Career Technical Education student  in the Design and Media Arts pathway at Southwest. Her work reflects both technical skilled commitment to aiding awareness around mental health and suicide prevention through creative storytelling. The film can be viewed on the contest website at directingchangeca.org.