Media Makers Launches High School Digital Media Program

Based on the successful digital media youth workshops conducted for schools and nonprofit organization throughout Southern California, the Next American Media Makers launched a Career & Technical Education Training program for high school students.

The year-long program, designed especially for students grades 9-12, has already generated interest from school districts in Florida, Arizona as well as schools in Southern California.

Students who complete the program will be prepared to immediately enter the job market after graduation or to continue their education in a two or four-year institution pursuing video/content production or filmmaking with a considerable advantage over other students.

"Victor's Media Makers curriculum created transferable employment skills to our youth in the tech field," said Maggie Cervantes, Executive Director of New Economics for Women, (NEW). "It opened up new career possibilities for our youth they never considered."

Next American Media Makers instructors worked with young people from one of NEW after-school program in Van Nuys on two successful workshops. In addition, Next American Media Makers has also worked with high school-aged students at Semillas School in Los Angeles, as well as with the Compton Unified School District, where the program was first developed five years ago.

"Many students in the Compton Unified School District are very interested in arts and entertainment so we see this as a step in that direction providing them an avenue to explore those interests," said CUSD Superintendent Darin Brawley.

The program offers schools not only a detailed curriculum with daily lesson plans, student materials, performance metrics and videos - schools are also provided with help investing in the right type of digital content production equipment. Some schools spend as much as $100,000 or more on this kind of equipment. But Media Makers has created recommended equipment lists that can equip a 15-student class with professional equipment for less than $25,000.

"This isn't filmmaking or TV production," said Media Makers Founder Victor Abalos. "This is content production - the content we consume daily on our computers, tablets and smart phones. It's the information currency of the 21st Century and our high schools need to prepare students for those jobs and careers."