It Could Be U Academy
Aimed at high school students, the It Could Be U Academy is a 5 week intensive capacity building employment project. More than 100 students are submitting portfolios within the fields of media / arts, science / tech and business to qualify for 1 of 20 paid summer jobs. Students will be exposed to a series of guest clinicians from the worlds of media, technology, business, entertainment and the arts as they explore career options and complete collaborative projects with local businesses. The academy will culminate with a capstone event in which the students showcase their work. Students will also receive invitations to participate as E4 Youth Summit panelists on the University of Texas at Austin campus in August 2012 and future opportunities as paid peer mentors.
Academy Agenda
June 2012
Week 1: Orientation / Daily Guest Clinicians / Students Select Field(s) of Interest
Week 2: Students Visit College Campuses/Job Shadow/Research Projects
Week 3: Propose Projects/Planning
Week 4: Production/Visit Local Businesses
Week 5: Capstone Project Showcase
Brief History
During the summer of 2011, the Media Communications Council conducted a series week long college and career explorations for youth called It Could Be U Camps. Middle school students worked with professional mentors in Media / Arts, Science / Technology, and Business as they visited colleges, local businesses and collaborated on capacity building projects. Among the products students produced were short films, psa’s, podcasts, scientific demonstrations and business proposals.
In conducting these camps, digital media played an integral role in driving student engagement and reshaping their visions of what is possible. Science and Technology students used video to create a compelling super hero series called the Science Rangers. Media / Arts students made short films and psa’s about environmental issues. Business students made video commercials and podcasts pitching their business proposals. By letting them self select their fields of interest and work collaboratively with professionals, students were able to place their learning in context with their passions. They collaborated and synthesized complex sets of skills and information within very short time frames.
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