By: Dr. Andrew Yox, Honors Director
On November 1, NTCC’s Jalyn English, Sam Griffin, Rebekah Reed and Katelyn Cox presented the newest trailer of an honors film, “Starlight: Adina De Zavala, and the Making of a Patriotic Supersite,” at the meeting of the Walter Prescott Webb Society. The Webb is a collegiate auxiliary of the Texas State Historical Association, and has been operating since 1974. Lisa Berg, the new Austin-based Education Director of the TSHA, coordinates the activities of the association.
Katelyn Cox led off the NTCC presenters with an update on her research on Walter Prescott Webb, the great Texas historian who is also a namesake for the association. She noted that Webb was uncommon even among other regional historians in the versatility of roles he pursued to popularize and establish the state’s history as a discipline.
This year’s NTCC trailer was produced by Jalyn English with help from former NTCC Computer Services Director, Kenny Goodson, who composed the music and synchronized narrated panels. The NTCC honors film was compiled this past summer with Jacob Lambie as the Director, and Peyton McClendon as Unit Production Director. The trailer captures the essential narrative of the film, alluding to how a near destitute young woman who refused marriage, realized her dream to center-stage the Alamo as the state’s great patriotic site. Maritza Quinones stars in the film as Adina De Zavala, and Rebekah Reed co-stars as her rival within the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, the rich and well-connected Clara Driscoll.
At the Webb meeting in Bellville, Texas, Sam Griffin provided an overview of the film process, Rebekah Reed, of the basic plot and Driscoll’s role, and Jalyn English completed the story, while exhibiting the trailer. The NTCC group also toured some of the founding sites of the Texas Republic, San Felipe, and Washington on the Brazos, during the two-day trip.
The trailer anticipates the longer film which is scheduled to be premiered at the Whatley Center for the Performing Arts on February 21 at 7 p.m. The film process at NTCC is indebted to Jerald and Mary Lou Mowery of Scroggins, other friends of Honors Northeast, NTCC administrators, and many other supporters.
