Jackie Arredondo     e-mail
Everywhere she goes she has a camera in her clutches. She snaps pictures, only to take them home for editing, which is one of her many hobbies. When she grows older she hopes to become a cinematographer. To help her achieve her goal, she is attending Douglas Anderson School of the Arts where she majors as a Film/TV student. And even though her main focus in life right now is to succeed in her skill, her one true love has always been writing.

Native to Brownsville, Texas, Jackiline Arredondo has lived most of her life in Jacksonville, Florida; moving there when she was 1 year old due to her father's career in the military. As a child, Jackie loved to tell stories and she discovered her talent for writing early on.

In elementary school, her work was constantly being showcased on classroom bulletin boards as well as being used as examples for other students. She was occasionally asked for permission for her work to be used in workshops. In 5th grade, she wrote a piece that was given the opportunity to be viewed by her principal and then showcased at the front of the school on a bulletin board. In 4th grade she received a 'Certificate of Achievement' for her 'Outstanding Performance' in reading. At the end of 6th grade, during the awards ceremony, she was granted the title of being "Best Writer" of that year's class.

Jackie is not only talented in the writing field. She is talented academically, as well, consistently receiving straight A's and A/B Honor Roll distinction. In 5th grade she was awarded a medal for being one of Florida's Top 5% students. In 6th grade, she was awarded as "Best In Science" and in 8th grade even placed second in her school science fair. Her latest achievement has been being awarded the "BRAVO" award, one of the most honorable awards you can receive within your arts area.

Besides working with the arts and succeeding academically, Jackie is a sister to two younger siblings and is currently a core member of Team Gaia, a teen organization of which she feels very fond. In her own words, "I get to educate people and help the environment, while doing what I love: storytelling."

Valerie Belzeski     e-mail
Like many people who have been born and then died, Valerie Antonica Belzeski was born in University Hospital of Jacksonville, Florida, on October 10,1990. From the very beginning, Valerie was considered the "odd one out." A precocious kindergartener, the unruly tomboy battled her way through elementary gifted classes, and eventually learned from her mother that she could draw those pretty animated people on TV.

Third grade came and went and Valerie found herself in a very unfamiliar little beach town called Ponte Vedra, FL. The kids were snotty and the parents conservative, very much unlike Valerie, who was considered very, very strange in this new community.

Middle school was not far from Chinese Water Torture, despite the discovery of a few nice kids and a couple of fantastic teachers. One of these teachers taught Valerie that she could write very well if she tried, and the other one revealed an unexpected talent for visual art. She even completed some commissions by painting for acquaintances during this period of her young life.

Both of her teachers encouraged her to audition for Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. Valerie was accepted for both Creative Writing and Visual Arts, but figured since she was more at ease painting and drawing, that she would choose Visual Arts as her major.

Making sure to keep in touch with her friends, Valerie ventured to D.A., and there met many wonderful people who were as different and talented as she. Together, they formed a team…what began with small ideas has now blossomed into Team Gaia today.

The eccentric and opinionated teenager loves her life and the people in it, and hopes one day to travel the world and spread her emotional and visual love to everyone.

Chase Finn     e-mail
Chase Finn was born on February 19th, 1991 in the city Jacksonville, Florida at Baptist Hospital. He grew up in a small town outside of Jacksonville called Ponte Vedra Beach. He attended elementary school at PVPV and Rawlings Elementary.

During the last semester of 5th grade, his school opened up a new program in which the student could travel over to the local middle school and take part in an after school band program. Chase quickly picked up the trombone and loved it. He continued to play trombone throughout his middle school career at Landrum Middle for 6th, 7th and 8th grades.

As a 7th grader, Chase found a new topic to fall for when the school opened up a new elective called T.V. Production. Chase jumped at the mention of this and quickly signed up. He instantly loved it and as he entered his 8th grade year he signed up for Advance T.V. Production. During that year he was introduced to Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. Hearing about this Chase decided to follow his passion for film and auditioned for the prestigious arts school. He was accepted in the spring of 2005.

Taking four introduction to film classes his freshmen year, he was able to create a handful of films. One film in particular won first place in the Jim Harbin Film Festival in the spring of 2006. The film was a short 60-second Public Service Announcement on gun safety.

Chase is currently a junior at Douglas Anderson and will be graduating in the spring of 2009.

Cheyenne Light-Smith     e-mail
Cheyenne Light-Smith was born in Oregon on August 16, 1990. She moved around the country from Oregon to Indiana to Michigan and finally, to Florida. Before relocating several times in the Sunshine State, her parents divorced, remarried, and one of them had another child -- a little brother named Aillil McCree Tiernan. Adopting her new stepparent's names, Cheyenne Light-Smith became Cheyenne Rain Azrai Tiernan-Loveday-Light-Smith.

From a very young age Cheyenne has been traveling with her parents around the world to locations including China, Seychelles, Paris, London, Canada, and all across the US. She changed schools about once every two years, taking the occasional year off to be homeschooled, until she was enrolled into Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, in Jacksonville, Florida. This is where she still attends along with a majority of her peers at Team Gaia. An aspiring graphic animator and artist, Cheyenne has many accomplishments under her belt. A wall in the Team Gaia office is dedicated entirely to a mural painted half by Cheyenne and half by Valerie Belzeski. Her artwork has been shown in numerous galleries whether at school or in more official openings. Her framed pieces are hung around her house and her father's offices. She is still attending Douglas Anderson majoring in Visual Arts and hopes to contribute as much as possible to the success of Team Gaia.

Dakota Light-Smith     e-mail
Dakota (Dax) Light-Smith was born August the 7th 1992. She is currently 15 years old and attends Nease High School in the 9th grade. She was born in Evansville, Indiana and lived there for 2 years. She then moved to Jacksonville, Florida where her dad, Mark Smith's, family was originally from. Sometime then her parents were divorced. She was home schooled for a semester before she attended Montessori Tides, a private school in Atlantic Beach, until she was 13. From 4th grade to 8th grade Dakota traveled to many places around the world such as Costa Rica, China, St. Lucia, Canada, London, and the Seychelles Islands where her dad grew up. For "From Jacksonville with Love," a hurricane disaster relief organization, Dakota and her friend Chris Winter played and sang songs for hurricane Katrina victims. Dakota Light-Smith is currently a core member of Team Gaia where some of her many tasks include acting, singing, writing and helping research for the shows.

Will Livingston     e-mail
Will Livingston came to Florida after his parents moved from Atlanta, GA. He currently attends Nease High School near St. Augustine as a junior where he is an active participant in the school's International Thespian Society, Debate Club, National BETA Club, Film Club and Young Republicans.

While attending school, Will is focusing on drama and creative writing. In the eighth grade, Will began to attend Lead America conferences, which focus on international affairs, diplomacy and security. He is the recipient of various awards for his writing, interest in diverse academic pursuits, leadership and video production excellence. He is also a member of the National Honor Roll.

Will is hoping to enter the State Department and eventually work abroad as an ambassador to a Middle-Eastern nation. His specific fields of study include language, religion, economics, literature, philosophy and government to best prepare him for his work overseas. A passionate student of history, he hopes to achieve a future worth living in for everybody. He describes himself as motivated, organized, thoughtful and creative.

When not studying or volunteering, Will devotes his time to photography, reading, music and watching movies.

He currently lives in Ponte Vedra Beach with his parents and sister. His birthday is 16 November, 1990.

JeanCarlo Mendez     e-mail
Age: Unkown, Gender: Male

Said by many to be the only Puerto Rican ever born in Oslo, Norway; JeanCarlo is a creative young man that is hoping to contribute a lot to Team Gaia. He is currently living a secluded life with his mother in Duval County. He works out of his home and rarely walks his dog.

Some of his achievements are three Bravo Awards from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts (2005 & 2006); first place documentary in the high school division of the Jim Harbin Media Festival (2005) and second place for a music video in the Jim Harbin Media Festival (2006).

Few have actually seen his face because he refuses to be seen with out any form of veil. As mysterious and creepy as he may sound, everyone has given him a warm welcome at Team Gaia.

Shane Reilly-Rogers     e-mail
Shane Reilly-Rogers was born in Lemoore, California. Due to his father's career in the Navy, he moved around a lot, but he feels that his home is in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He will finish and graduate from high school in the spring of 2008.

Shane's achievements cover a wide range of subjects; these include his team's first place victory at a regional Robotics Tournament in 2004 and then 10th place overall at the National Botball tournament in Oklahoma. In his more recent life Shane achieves high testing scores and maintains a high Grade point average in many Advanced Placement college level classes.

After graduating from high school Shane intends to go to college and achieve a Doctorate of Pharmacy. After finally being finished with school it is Shane's intention to spend time in a third world country helping in an aid program, due in no small part to his time spent in Team Gaia and learning about what the world is really like.

Shane's interests include playing pick up games of Football, hanging out with friends, and the occasional late night game of Pool at the local Billiards Hall. He enjoys socially active clubs in his high school including Math Honor Society and Senior Men. His favorite subject in school is Chemistry and he intends to use what he will learn in his Pharmaceutical career to bring medicine to those in need.

The single moment of being in Team Gaia that stands out the most to Shane is going to Waveland, Mississippi to bring Holiday gifts to foster children who had been effected by Hurricane Katrina. Shane believes that this moment will stand out for the rest of his life as a defining time for him and that the work done with Team Gaia will help to shape him into the best person that he can be.

Karis Sadler     e-mail
Karis Sadler was born April 25th 1991 at the New York Hospital in Manhattan, New York, to Eric and Karen Sadler. Upon reaching school age she attended Children's Aid Society in Greenwich Village, Manhattan.

First grade was spent in Jacksonville, Florida where her parents moved when Karis turned 6. There she attended Atlantic Beach Elementary where she was proud to be a Math Superstar! Upon leaving elementary school for middle school, Karis auditioned for Lavilla School of the Arts, where she was accepted for Drama. She stayed the whole three years, also attending chorus for 7th and 8th grade. After leaving middle school, Karis auditioned for Film and TV at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. Her talents earned her a place in the Film and TV department, where her accomplishments are many; one in particular was her second place finish for her Missing Children P.S.A in the 9th grade.

Karis has always loved to travel and explore the world, and she finally got to go to her favorite place in the world during the summer before her Junior Year at Douglas Anderson. Karis went to Osaka Japan for 2 weeks, and enjoyed absorbing the culture, and filming her surroundings. During previous summers Karis would help at ArtLife Art Camp filming the events and turning it into an entertaining music video by the end of the week for the kids and their parents to enjoy.

Graduating in 09, Karis aspires to work on major films, specifically in the area of Japanese animation, like "Spirited Away," or "My Neighbor Totoro & Howl's Moving Castle." Hayao Miyazaki is one of her favorite directors and she hopes to make a film that will touch people everywhere like he has done.

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