Amy Rose is making her mark through creative storytelling as a videographer for Hampton City Schools. She credits Virginia Peninsula Community College for helping her cement a career in video production.
Rose takes great pride in creating videos for teachers to support the school system’s mission. Her work contributes to the educational experiences of students and educators.
“I love getting to visit classrooms and creating video resources for teachers in our school division. Their work is so important and if my work can help them in any way, I’m happy for that,” she said.
“I (sought this) role because it was a way for me to combine what I love about schools with creativity and storytelling,” added Rose.
She has had numerous assignments since joining the school system in 2019. However, she is most proud of two — a lively "Back to School" music video in 2021 and the most recent episode of the Hampton City Schools Alumni Series, featuring Broadway-bound talent Tyler Fauntleroy.
Rose admits her route to higher education was not “typical.” She initially attended George Mason University. There, she majored in communication with a concentration in journalism and minored in photography and film and media studies.
“After graduating from George Mason University (2016), I tested out my first role as a long-term substitute art teacher. When that position ended, I was able to work at a photography studio in Fairfax, Va.,” she explained.
“Being a studio assistant there really brought out my interest in the marketing and video side of the creative field. The studio closed after a year, so I decided to move back home ...”
Upon returning home, the Grafton High School graduate chose VPCC in 2018. The brief exposure piqued her interest in learning more about video production and editing. She enrolled in the College’s digital video certificate program.
While at VPCC, she took to Visual Arts Department Chair Cece Wheeler as a favorite mentor and teacher. Wheeler was pivotal in Rose’s artistic development.
“The video classes I took with Cece helped me get to where I am today in my career as a videographer,” said Rose. “Her advice about projects and how to improve my work taught me so much and I feel I really grew as a storyteller and artist under her guidance.”
Reflecting on her experience, Rose has praise for the College.
“I would absolutely recommend VPCC. I can’t say much about the associate (degree) programs there because I was never part of that experience, but I can't speak highly enough about the video certificate program,” she stated.
Rose is excited about the road ahead. She recently launched a photography and videography business. While she will continue building her business, she has no plans to leave Hampton City Schools. Rose, in her daily work, gets to joyfully merge her love for education with her creative storytelling talents.