The Urban Media Foundation program provides an innovative after-school curricula and activities for students ages 14 to 17 years that uses Journalism to positively impact at-risk youth. The purpose of the program is to provide a safe learning environment for students to learn about the art of Journalism (print, broadcast, online and photography); to increase news literacy, enhance communication skills, computer literacy and reading appreciation. Through Journalism, students are exposed to cultural appreciation, writing instruction, reading comprehension and extensive public-speaking. Students are encouraged to pursue post-secondary education and receive assistance with college application preparation. Students are also introduced to career opportunities in Journalism, Communication, Public Relations and Advertising; and assisted with resume preparation. Students are provided a light snack and supplied with all course-related materials.
Their journalism students gain firsthand experience in digital news production. Emphasis is placed on news writing, editorial, feature and sports writing. Student reporters write, interview and edit the drafts and final copies of stories assigned to them. Student photographers attend school events and take professional photos for print and online use. Student editors also learn layout, design, print and photo editing skills, circulation management, and computer graphics. Students have classes in the newly dedicated UMF Digital Newsroom & Media Technology Center.
Community Benefits:
UMF has created an atmosphere where at-risk youth build community and develop as leaders. Each class encourages greater degrees of competency and self-determination. They conduct this youth education program in the most underserved areas of Los Angeles. Their goal is to educate, mentor and advocate for disadvantaged inner-city students who have an interest in media technology, journalism and communication. This is accomplished by providing workshops, specified trainings and practical internships. They enhance employment readiness and introduce students to better career opportunities. They provide mentoring assistance for local students pursuing post-secondary education.
They have developed their program as a way to help students keep pace with students in more affluent areas. The impact is to prepare disadvantaged students to live, work and thrive in the 21st century by providing quality supplemental education to support creative and powerful learning. UMF recognizes that limited access to computers and the Internet in low income areas of Los Angeles, contributes to minority students falling into the latest version of the digital divide--called the 'participation gap'-- where they have fewer opportunities to develop the digital literacy necessary for an increasingly technical media job market.
UMF programs have many direct and indirect gains for student participants. The technological skills learned will increase the students' ability to integrate lessons learned into their practical life experience. Being equipped with computer and internet access skills help students to be more interested in learning activities. Students express enthusiasm for the opportunity to be creative and to use their imagination in working on projects. Students show a high level of interest in continuing to develop their skill sets and help others to do so. Students also have an opportunity to work on collaborative projects with their peers which increases their ability to be social and non-confrontational. Students with initial disciplinary or attendance problems have showed noted improvement while participation in our classes. Students likewise show marked improvement in classroom behavior and attendance at their regular schools. Minority students gain a greater sense of self-esteem, self-determination and cultural pride.
Loading...
12:31
Imagine-YouthBuild USAby getsmartcompany194 views
Link to this comment:
All Comments (0)