CCX Staff Members Conduct ‘Breaking News’ Camp for Kids
Students in the Robbinsdale Area School District’s summer academy received a crash course in the technical side of video production. CCX Create staff members help the learning happen.
Storytelling comes in many different forms, and in today’s digital age, nearly everyone can be an amateur videographer. But doing it well is easier said than done.
That’s where Dustin Cooper and Javier Cedillo can help. These two CCX staff members are teaching kids a class called “Breaking News.”
“We’re teaching these kids how to use television production equipment, lighting, microphones, cameras, all the technical side,” said Dustin Cooper, the CCX studio manager. “And also hopefully they’re having some fun in the side as well.”
Summer Camp Offered Through Robbinsdale Area Schools
The class is part of the Robbinsdale School District’s Summer Academy. This week, the students are getting a crash course in the technical side of video production.
“I think it’s important that the kids learn these skills because it helps them kind of think about telling stories,” Cooper said. “They might not realize it, but I think they all have stories to tell. Either about themselves or just about what’s around them in their environment.”
Wednesday’s environment happened to be Sandburg Middle School. Several camps were actually underway at the school. The kids in the Breaking News camp are learning how to shoot video of what’s happening in some of these different classes.
So far, the camp has gotten positive reviews, as the students develop new skills that were foreign to them just a few days ago.
“I like it a lot actually,” said 14-year-old Rilei Reinke. “Being able to work with other people to create something.”
“I like to interview people,” said 11-year-old Veronica Eastlund Cortes. “Just kind of get to know the people, even though I might never get to see them again.”
The final step of the class involves the kids learning how to edit all of their video to put together the final stories. Not a bad skill to learn over the course of a week.
“We’re hoping that these guys, in the future, right after this class, can be more comfortable using their cell phones, or possibly coming to our facility and using our equipment and gear,” Cooper said.
