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On Friday, August 9th DCPNI hosted the highly anticipated finale celebration of our Digital Media Academy (DMA) inaugural class. This momentous occasion was held at the popular Busboys and Poets restaurant in downtown Washington, DC. The warmth
of the over-capacity filled room of more than 150 guests, from family members to dignitaries and media demonstrated the strong support for our students’ achievements.
The event featured an interactive luncheon showcasing digitally produced works of art by DMA students displayed in a gallery format, on screen and most interestingly inside the Mobile Media Unit, provided by the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer, where our students presented their individual digital portfolio’s to our guests.
Special guests Ward 7 DC Councilmember Yvette Alexander and Honorary Chair of DCPNI, Alma T. Powell attended the event and made congratulatory remarks as the program ended on the highest of distinguished notes.
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I would like to congratulate the students of our inaugural program for delivering outstanding and important work towards ending intergenerational poverty, and understanding their power to participate in the solution. They are playing their part one student, one class, one PSA at a time – rooting out teen pregnancy, because it can be prevented. Their videos serve as an ideal example of how youth produced work can spark change in the 21st century economy. The accomplishments they made in just under eight weeks is monumental and makes me even more proud to serve them!
Watch the PSA!
To our funders – U.S. Department of Education and the DC Department of Employment Services, Summer Youth Employment Program – Thank you for allowing us to innovate and entrusting the youth to become an integral part of our solutions. This video proves their desire to be productive citizens in the 21st Century economy and in their civic lives – giving back to their community, the gift of awareness around Teen Pregnancy. The entire room swelled with joyful tears as this video encapsulated a marquee example of “what winning looks like” from an engaged community.
Watch DMA Youth at Work!
Finale Video
From ABC’s local Channel 8 to CBS’s Channel 9 WUSA, and from WHUR 96.3 FM radio, to XM Sirius Satellite Radio – the DCPNI DMA buzz wrapped all about town as our army of DMA youth represented DCPNI and Kenilworth-Parkside with pride as they were interviewed about their summer learning through DCPNI in the Digital Media Academy. Icing on the cake came from emcee Angie Ange of WKYS 93.9 FM primetime radio as she hosted the DMA finale event, acknowledging the students on the air later that evening!
Meanwhile at BET – Chairman and CEO, Debra L. Lee took the time to meet with students, commending their PSA, and announcing with amazing coincidence that she was the new President of the Ad Council, “the first African American to hold this post”, noting that her charge would be to produce a national Teen Pregnancy Prevention campaign in 2014! Viewing our video gave her inspiration and a jumpstart to ideas in “utilizing youth to power the message of teen pregnancy prevention”, she stated.
We look forward to growing our beloved partnerships with media outlets both locally and nationally, allowing us to share our stories and accomplishments with the rest of the world.
With funding from the U.S. Department of Education I am proud to announce that the Digital Media Academy will continue this Fall with a cohort of students from the Kenilworth-Parkside community, as a leg of our Out of School time programming. For more information please After School Program Director April Williams at [email protected].
For additional DMA Content click here :
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