In the realm of cinematic canon, one facet of moviemaking has remained tragically underestimated—that being the art of animation. Despite animation’s ability to tell the most fantastical stories or build media empires worth billions, the medium still struggles to be considered with the same level of prestige as its live action counterpart. In this talk, high school senior Isabella Montesi breaks down the importance of animation and the power of the overlooked story. Isabella Montesi is a senior at Saint Francis High School, the President of the Paintbox Art Club, and the ASB Social Media and Video Production Representative. In 2023, she attended the California State Summer School for the Arts’s renowned Animation track, making her a recognized California Arts Scholar. Her time at CSSSA not only opened her mind to the possibilities of the animated medium through digital and analog techniques, but also solidified her passion to pursue animated filmmaking professionally and foster greater educational arts opportunities at school. From watching Finding Nemo on loop as an infant to creating her own animated short films in high school, Isabella’s wonder with the medium is always evolving and expanding. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx