Florida Catholic | Videographers Capture Award

Student videographers capture award

John Paul, II students place second in History Channel competition.

AMY M. FERRARA | FLORIDA CATHOLIC STAFF

Published: 09.14.07

TALLAHASSEE | It took just two John Paul II High School students and one video camera to grab the attention of the judges for the History Channel’s national contest, Save Our History.

Sophomores Ryan Sweeney and Patrick Mangan collaborated on filming a documentary about the infamous Apalachee Massacre for the National History Day fair two years ago, when they were in eighth grade. That same year the film, “Standing Together: A Story of the Spanish Missions in Apalachee,” was one of eight projects to reach the state finals, where it found acclaim as the fourth-place winner.

Now two years later, Ryan’s and Patrick’s film is the second-place winner of the History Channel’s Save Our History contest. The contest promotes students’ efforts to preserve local history.

"The video was fun to make," said Ryan. "It’s good to see our work is promoting awareness of the missions and telling people about the martyrs who died."

In taping the documentary, Ryan and Patrick interviewed historians, archaeologists, members of religious orders and the chief of the remaining Apalachee Indians. These interviews, along with the students’ narration, pictures and maps, tell the story of the tribe that once lived near the Aucilla and Ochlockonee rivers in the Tallahassee area.

Although the students’ sources had different opinions as to why, they all agreed that the Apalachee invited the Spanish to start missions in their territory, thus bringing Catholicism to this Native American culture in 1633. By 1655, according to the documentary, there were 11 missions in the area. Peace reigned between the two groups for 70 years.

Hundreds of miles away in what is now South Carolina, the British lived in Charles Town, which they had established in 1670. When they learned in 1687 that several slaves from the colony had escaped to Florida, authorities demanded the Spanish return them. The Spanish refused because of their stand against slavery. As a result, the British decided that the Spanish missions were threats, or, as the documentary narrates, “a haven for escaped slaves.”

The film introduces Col. James Moore, governor of South Carolina. Bitter about the escaped slaves’ retreat to Florida, Moore attacked St. Augustine in 1702. After his attacks proved unsuccessful, he resigned as governor.

Yet, two years later in 1704, the British assigned him to lead a raid on the Apalachee missions near present-day Tallahassee. He commissioned 50 British and 1,000 Creek Indians, and he took his forces to the mission of Ayubale. The Ayubale priest led the Apalachee into the church for safety, where they kept away forces until they ran out of ammunition. They eventually surrendered.

The documentary reports the British showed no mercy, burning the Spanish and Apalachee on stakes. Later that year, the Creek Indians and some rebel Apalachees returned to destroy the remaining 10 missions.

The passion the students have for creating an awareness of the Apalachee Massacre is heard in their voices as they narrate a piece of history buried in the lands east of Tallahassee.

"The blood of the martyrs is still on our land here," said Patrick. "It’s important to know where we came from."

Student videographers capture award

John Paul, II students place second in History Channel competition.

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