Levi Black lit up his neighborhood with more than 5,000 bulbs over winter break. The Hopkins High School sophomore set out to spark some interest in his neighborhood and spread some holiday cheer with a creative light display that moved to the beat of a Christmas song.
It took three months, a lot of problem solving, grit and perseverance. Black learned about electrical engineering, shooting and editing video content for YouTube, coding the show, and much more.
“It is kind of an addictive hobby — both the Christmas lights and the filmmaking. Next year, I plan to make a safer, more reliable set with more lights and more songs,” Black said.
Black ran into several challenges throughout the course of the project. One was solved by the generosity of the Tanglen PTO, who loaned him an FM transmitter and a long range antenna. With the additional tools, he was able to broadcast the music for the show so that onlookers could listen as they watched the lights in their vehicles in real time.
“It was a huge accomplishment and very refreshing to see a visible product that lots of people could enjoy,” Black said.
Watch Black’s YouTube video on the process below.