HITN is celebrating young talent and Puerto Rican Heritage Month through Cortitos, its national short-film competition for middle school students.

Alarberto Ortiz

Now in its third year, the initiative encourages students across the country to express creativity, storytelling, and cultural pride by producing one-minute films inspired by HITN’s Puerto Rican Heritage icons.

The contest invites students to write, direct, and produce short films spotlighting one of HITN’s five Puerto Rican Heritage honorees. This year, two standout entries came from Esperanza Academy Charter School in Philadelphia. And shared cash prize was awarded to both winning teams.

Eighth grader Alarberto Ortiz earned recognition for his self-written, directed, and edited film honoring baseball legend Roberto Clemente. “I made my film about Roberto Clemente because I really admire him as a successful baseball player,” Ortiz said. “He also did a lot for the Hispanic community, something I hope I can do when I grow up.”

Awildaliz Martinez Dejesus & My’Lan Baez

Another winning entry was created by Awildaliz Martinez Dejesus and My’Lan Baez, both 14, who co-wrote, co-directed, and co-edited their short film inspired by Sesame Street star and author Sonia Manzano. “We chose to make this film about Sonia Manzano because she became successful even though things were hard growing up,” the students explained. “We liked her book Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx.”

Luis Alejandro Molina, co-founder of the competition, praised the students’ creativity and passion. “Their work is truly inspiring,” Molina said. “We hope they continue sharing their talents with the world.”

Beyond recognizing young filmmakers, Cortitos serves as an educational platform that promotes creativity, cultural awareness, and media literacy. Through the process, students explore identity, history, and artistic expression while paying tribute to the enduring legacies of influential Puerto Ricans.