<p>A remarkable achievement…</p>
<p>*Outside, gray clouds and drizzle surrounded Wakulla High School.</p>
<p>But inside its media center on Friday afternoon, the atmosphere was clear and bright as 18-year-old Christina Brydebell celebrated her “signing day.”</p>
<p>“I’m more excited than nervous,” the high-school senior said.</p>
<p>The teenager decided to have a signing party to celebrate her acceptance into Florida State University’s film school and earning two scholarships, which combined should cover most of her four years of college expenses.</p>
<p>“We just felt that people in the arts should also have some recognition for getting into a prestigious school,” said Christina’s proud mom, Elin Brydebell.</p>
<p>Young athletes often have parties and receive media coverage when they sign on to play football and other sports at top-notch universities. So why, Christina and her mother mused, shouldn’t up-and-coming young artists celebrate their admissions to arts programs in a similar, whoop-de-doo fashion?</p>
<p>Seemed like a fine idea to the FSU film school, which sent administrator Linda Hensley to the celebration with the film school’s official invitation letter so Christina would have a document to sign.</p>
<p>“Our film school is a very hard film school to get into,” Hensley said. “It’s really, really an accomplishment for Christina.”</p>
<p>Randy Barnes, an assistant principal at Wakulla, watched from the sidelines with pride. He’s known Christina since she was in middle school, he said.</p>
<p>“I’ve watched her grow up. . . . and how she’s been able to excel is pretty amazing.”</p>
<p>Christina said her interest in film grew out of her love of acting as well as reading and writing stories in her English classes. One teacher in particular, Sherry Lohmeyer, really influenced her, Christina said. Lohmeyer, now an English teacher at Tallahassee Community College, was there for the party.</p>
<p>“Christina is very perceptive, and able to articulate her perceptions,” Lohmeyer said.</p>
<p>Some of Christina’s friends said they admired how focused she is about what she wants to accomplish.</p>
<p>“That’s pretty unusual,” said Kelsey Harrell, 17. “Not that many people know what they want to do.”</p>
<p>After signing her FSU letter, Christina sliced her cake decorated with garnet and gold icing and passed it out to her audience of about 35 friends, teachers and others.</p>
<p>“I’m really excited, and I’ve been working really hard,” she told everyone. “I hope that someday I will make movies that you all will enjoy.”*</p>
<p>For the complete article and pix see: [Wakulla</a> High student makes film-school cut | tallahassee.com | Tallahassee Democrat](<a href=“http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008805200321]Wakulla”>http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008805200321)</p>