Cape May resident, LCMRHS graduate helped shoot ‘Arizona Stories’ through Montclair State
CAPE MAY — A drive to succeed despite the hurdles in her way is one of the defining characteristics of Aylin Alvarez Santiago, a Cape May resident who is part of a group that has been nominated for the Television Academy Foundation’s 44th College Television Awards.
According to a news release, the foundation’s annual awards show recognizes excellence in student-produced programs from colleges across the country.
Alvarez Santiago was nominated, along with 15 classmates, in the news category for her work as a director, producer and writer on “Arizona Stories: Border, Water and Politics” while attending Montclair State University.
“Being nominated is an incredible honor that validates the hard work and dedication my team and I poured into this project,” she said. “It symbolizes the importance of telling stories that matter. Winning would be a dream come true.”
The 23-year-old attended Cape May City Elementary School and Richard M. Teitelman Middle School before Lower Cape May Regional High School.
The 2019 graduate was a fringe player on the Caper Tigers girls soccer team until her desire to play a greater role prompted her to get a personal trainer. Her senior year, she was named captain and played every game, further demonstrating her commitment to success.
“When I really put my mind to something, I get it done,” she told the Star and Wave.
Alvarez Santiago completed an associate degree in communications at Atlantic Cape Community College, graduating in May 2022. During her time there, she was recognized as the Communication Major of the Year for 2021-22.
She then transferred to Montclair, where she pursued a bachelor’s degree in Film and Television, graduating in May 2024.
Alvarez Santiago was interested in film from a young age, and joined Cape May Film Camp at 11 years old.
“You had to be 13 and wanted to be part of it so bad that I wrote the corniest little 11-year-old letter begging to get in, and I did it until 18,” she said. “I loved it and made so many connections with local film directors.”
She said she likes the fast pace of being behind the camera. While at Atlantic Cape, she met professor Keith Forest, who helped guide her to Montclair.
‘On the Road’
Alvarez Santiago traveled to Arizona to work on the project as part of an “On the Road: Reporting From the Field” class for Montclair News Lab.
She said professor Steve McCarthy organized the trip and held a seminar that she attended. Each student pitched ideas in December for the spring class.
The program aired in May 2024 on Montclair Township’s Local Access Channel 34 and covered a wide range of topics in Arizona, including immigration, homelessness, drought and the environmental effect of millions of visitors to the Grand Canyon.
“When we got there, people wanted to do stories about the border, the Grand Canyon, Native Americans, the water crisis on the Gila River,” she said.
For seven days, the class split into two groups and pursued their individual projects.
“We all helped out each other and got really close,” she said, noting they filmed 10 to 12 stories, only six of which were broadcast in Arizona.
Alvarez Santiago said the year prior, students had gone to New Orleans and their production won its category, increasing the pressure on her group to win.
She said she loves documentary work, noting that one her films was shown at the Montclair Film Festival. Her package from the Arizona piece was about a cowboy college in Scottsdale.
During another journalism class, she filmed a piece about the birthday party of school mascot Rocky the Redhawk. (A little-known fact is that she was one of four students donning the Rocky costume.)
Full-circle moment
Completing college is a daunting task, one that proves even more difficult without guidance from someone who had made the journey.
“As a first-generation college graduate, navigating higher education was a significant challenge,” she said. “Balancing cultural expectations while pursuing my passion for storytelling often felt overwhelming. Financial barriers and self-doubt also tested my perseverance, but they ultimately shaped my determination and drive to amplify under-represented voices through my work.”
Alvarez Santiago said graduating from college was one of the proudest days of her life, for both her and her parents.
“It felt surreal — people talk about how their wedding day goes fast, I wish I could go back,” she said.
Graduates are placed with others from their discipline, and Alvarez Santiago said the group that had been in Arizona became very close and were all smiling, laughing, crying together.
“It was the best feeling in the world,” she said. “Seeing my parents’ faces — they’ve been to soccer games, high school graduation, but this was different. Their emotions were so different, seeing my Mom screaming and my Dad trying to get on a higher seat so he could see. It’s an insane feeling that I will never feel again. I’m so glad to have experienced that.
Being at the southern border in Arizona was special for Alvarez Santiago in many ways.
“I’m a child of immigrants, so just having to go to the border and getting that full-circle moment, it definitely made graduation worth more than anything,” she said.
Winners in the competition will be announced by television stars during the red carpet awards ceremony April 5 at the Television Academy in North Hollywood, Calif.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Cape May Star and Wave