We'd Like to Thank the Academy

Abel and Burlee Vang, GE Instructors on the Fresno campus, are the esteemed winners of the Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences sponsors the international competition in search of new writing talent and ideas. After a very long and rigorous selection process, the brothers' screenplay was one of five chosen out of 6,730 entries.

They worked for over three years writing "The Tiger's Child," a story about two orphaned brothers trying to survive during the secret war in Laos. Although it is a work of fiction, some historical events helped to inspire the idea for the screenplay.

Abel and Burlee were invited to attend a week of meetings, luncheons and dinners in Hollywood that led up to the ceremony in November where the Nicholl Fellowships were presented. Highlights of the event as well as Abel and Burlee's acceptance speech are on the AMPAS website at www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl/index.html.

Congratulations to Abel and Burlee on their fantastic achievement! We are proud to have such talented instructors leading our students on their paths to success.