Areya Simmons.Com

Mission Statement:  Do everything I can to turn life into moving pictures and sound, contribute the best of myself to society, and bring about positive change.

I was born April 5th, 1989 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  I grew up and went to school in the rural hills of Somerset County for nine years.  On weekends, I visited my grandmother in Pittsburgh.

Like many, my early teens contained many challenges, including health issues.  In sixth grade, I contracted mercury poisoning from a contaminated piece of tuna fish.  After eighteen months of chelation, I was healed.  In seventh grade, the 9/11 attacks occurred, which included Flight 93 crashing about a mile from our house.  That event changed our entire community.  At the end of eighth grade, my mother and I moved back to Pittsburgh.

In Pittsburgh, I attended a high school in Pittsburgh for a semester until I contracted mercury poisoning for a second time from a mercury spill in a classroom.  Seven months later, I was well again.  My mother home-schooled me from then on.

During my sophomore year of high school, I took a dual-curricula graphic design class at the Community College of Allegheny County and finished well.  With that class, I discovered that I had skills and passion for graphic design, which I utilize to this day.

Throughout the rest of my high school experience, I took three more college classes and received As in all of them.  I have also been extremely dedicated to my community, and have volunteered countless hours.  I was a part of The First Tee of Pittsburgh at Schenley Golf Course for over seven years (I played in golf tournaments for eight), and volunteered for numerous organizations, including the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the Council Of Three Rivers American Indian Center.

From 2001 to 2005, I developed a passion for film and fiction literature.  During the summer of 2005, I made my first film, a documentary short on mercury contamination called 'Hg and Me'.  It won two awards from the SciTech Spectacular from Bayer:  the Creating Awareness and Understanding of our Surrounding Environment (C.A.U.S.E.) Challenge.  It was later chosen as an Official Selection in the 3rd Annual Denver International Indigenous Film & Arts Festival.  Since ‘Hg and Me’, I have continued to develop my passion and skills for every aspect of filmmaking.  I have also done freelance work, directed and shot videos, created graphics, and managed websites for various businesses and non-profit organizations.  I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Television with a double minor in Sound Design and Graphic Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design, in Savannah, Georgia.

- Areya Simmons