Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Arizona’s Multimedia Program empowers the future careers of local youth
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Arizona’s (BGCCAZ) collaboration with Prescott High School’s Multimedia program has continued to grow and now serves more than 50 teens, empowering them with the knowledge that has the potential to jumpstart their careers.
The club members are building skills in audio and video production, graphic design, filmmaking, editing, and script writing, as well as in planning and budgeting. Some of the projects the group are involved with include daily news updates for students and parents, as well as live streaming Prescott High School’s graduation and BGCCAZ’s biggest fundraising event, Dancing for the Stars.
Ashlyn Cumming and Cheyla Daverman are two amazing young women who have been empowered by this unique program. In their own words they express the impact the club has had on them.
Ashlyn Cumming:
“I’m a senior at Prescott High School and I’ve been in the media program for three years now, so I’ve been able to grow with the program. The other night I was getting ready to film a time lapse of a painting I was going to create. I was setting up my camera that I’ve had for about two or three years and the picture didn’t look quite right, so I started adjusting white balance and other settings on this camera, which I’ve never explored before. This made me realize that this program has given me the skill sets and the ability to make the picture look just right. This program has given me workplace skills that I will forever carry with me. For example, I now work for Yavapai College, as well as our school district. Now I’m about to attend Northern Arizona University and pursue my passion, which this program has cultivated. Thanks to the BGCCAZ and all their supporters for making this program possible.”
Cheyla Daverman:
“The BGCCAZ multimedia program offers so many incredible opportunities for myself and other students. Not only do we learn real life skills, such as how to operate equipment and work in a professional environment, but we also get to creatively express ourselves in a fun and exciting way. This program is a platform for creative students to develop a love for sharing their work. We take pride in what we do and are so thrilled to have the studio, and the amazing teachers there to help us. Last year, I worked my first job as spotlight, for the Dancing for the Stars performances. It was an unforgettable experience. I got the chance to sit at the top of oldest theater in Prescott and help contribute to a community event. The rest of the crew necessary for broadcasting the Dancing for the Stars event were other Boys and Girls Club members. For many, that would have just been another job. But for my peers and me it was an invaluable learning experience. This is just one way this amazing program helps enhance the learning experiences of the Prescott youth. Within the education system we are lacking outlets like this for creative expression. This program provides a safe space to cultivate and further progress our skills. The skills we develop are not only beneficial to us but can be brought into the workplace, which benefits the community as well. All of the students that I have had the pleasure of working with have nothing to say but thank you for this amazing program that the community has provided us with.”