Nov. 13, 2006

For 20 years, Tom O'Neill has worked at various newspapers as a photojournalist, telling the stories of his neighbors in his backyard – and around the world. The job has allowed him to travel the first road between Tampa and Miami and chronicle the quirky characters that call it home as well as photograph an American nun who ministered to the poor in the Ecuadorian mountains.

Currently, the photo editor of the Bradenton, Fla., Herald, O'Neill spends most of his time planning the day's photographs for his five-member team. He also continues to take pictures as part of the job.

During his years in the business, O'Neill has had a number of overseas assignments – photographing The Miami Medical team in Nicaragua and Honduras and Pope John Paul II's visit to Cuba. In 2004, he spent two months in Pakistan and Afghanistan chronicling America's war efforts on terrorism for The Herald, a McClatchy-owned company.

In his spare time, he also volunteers by documenting the work of Access Care, a non-profit medical group from Port Charlotte, Fla., that helps the underprivileged in Central and South America.

O'Neill's latest project is the formation of "Give a Kid a Camera, Inc.," a non-profit he's forming to teach children photography and writing skills. The idea came out of a February trip to Cartagena, Colombia, with members of Access Care.

While in Colombia, the doctors worked through, Actuar, a foundation that offers medical, education and financial assistance to needy people in Canapote, a barrio on the outskirts of Cartagena.

"I was impressed with them," he said. "They had a real connection to the community, not just getting them medical help but holding dances and cooking classes and computer courses to help people find jobs."

"I'm at this 50-something place in my life, and it made me look around and think, 'What am I doing? How am I making a difference?' I wanted to do more. So I decided to do what I know best – photography."

"During my career, with the help of co-workers along the way, I've done a few photo classes for children, and I decided I'd try one in Colombia. How different could it be? I'd keep the classes simple – have the kids take photographs of what they knew and then write about why they took the pictures, so they can learn how to communicate through pictures."

O'Neill, who admits to limited Spanish-language skills, returned to Cartagena in May with five Kodak digital cameras he purchased and his laptop. With the help of translators from Actuar, Andreina Riccardi and Clara Fernandez, he held a series of one-hour classes and several field trips around the city.

"I showed the kids how to use the cameras, but didn't tell them what to photograph. We looked at the photos at the end of each field trip, and I asked them to write about a few of their favorites."

The sessions went better than he expected.

"When I went to Cartagena, I had no intention of doing anything more beyond the classes. But their work was inspiring. I sent some of it out to friends, and one of them suggested I write about the experience."

O'Neill pitched the idea to Executive Editor Joan Krauter, putting together a slideshow to present at a weekend budget meeting. He pitched the story for the 50,000-circulation newspaper. The piece would include an introduction from him, the photographs and the descriptions written by the children in their native Spanish and in English.

Krauter was sold on the idea.

"Tom has made several journeys to Cartagena, all on his own time and dime. Each trip has added to his resolve to make a difference there. This time, he had a stroke of genius – why not use his skills as a photojournalist to help the homeless children there I was pretty sure that Tom's quiet compassion would make this a successful venture. What I couldn't predict: the insight and wisdom that these children would be able to share with our readers through their photographs. By featuring Tom and his proteges on our Sunday A&E section, we helped show readers how one journalist is trying to make a difference. And, we hope, it just may have inspired others to step outside their own comfort zone, make a difference – and have some fun."

The community reaction was overwhelmingly positive. He was asked to speak about the project at neighborhood organizations and local community organizations.

"Grade school children in Florida were fascinated by the photos and learned they had many things in common with children from another country," he said.

After seeing the story, The Gulf Coast Colombian-American Alliance asked to display the photos at its annual art show at the Long Boat Key Center for Arts in Manatee County, where his news organization is located.

O'Neill took the idea a step further, planning an exhibition of the childrens' work in Cartagena as well. Earlier this month, he returned to Colombia for the first of the exhibits, which was held at the Hotel Almirante in Boca Grande, the tourist area of the city. About 150 people attended to see the work, meet the children and view about 40 of the photographs.

"A father read an advanced story about the Colombian exhibition in El Universal, a daily newspaper in Cartagena. He brought his teen-aged son to see the photographs and to meet me. Here's this kid I don't even know who introduces himself, thanks me for what I've done and says he came because 'I want to be a photographer. There's nothing else I want to do.' That's when I knew I was doing the right thing."

O'Neill returned home to the second exhibit, days later, where the photographs were displayed alongside the work of Colombian artists who now live in the Sunshine State. Several hundred people attended the event.

Today, O'Neill's efforts are continuing.

Actuar volunteer Riccardi, a Colombian native and photographer, continues to meet weekly with the children to help them improve their visual and writing skills. Through e-mail, she updates O'Neill on their progress, discusses ideas for the next class and sends him their photographs regularly. Their most recent assignment – self portraits.

O'Neill is now applying for nonprofit status for "Give a Kid a Camera." He's planning to hold a second session at the same site next year – eventually expanding beyond still photographs to video for online. His goal is to one day turn the nonprofit into something that shares his visual passion with youngsters around the world.

"I have reached out to journalists from Florida to Delaware who plan to help me in my venture," he said. "Everyone who hears about it loves the idea. Maybe one day, one of these kids will decide to be a visual journalist. And they'll work in a newsroom. And they'll say they got into it because someone gave them a camera."

For more information on the program, contact Tom O'Neill at 941-705-0648 or e-mail him at tkoneill@heraldtoday.com.