Author: Domenic J. Licata

Dear Media Educators,
…pioneering educators who facilitate youth creating expressive media:

On Thursday, March 13, 2014 a unique event will take place in our media-rich city. Students from New York’s high schools and middle schools will come together in the HD theater at the stunningly redesigned Museum of the Moving Image ( 35th Ave. and 36th St., Queens, New York, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) to share the varied media works they have created. This is the annual 2014 New York Youth Media Arts Show, where students show their creations in film, video, photography, and computer multi-media. You’ve heard of the proverbial three R’s. Perhaps today’s fourth R is recording, applying media tools to project a spectrum of expressions. Students see media everywhere. Now they’re responding by creating their own! As you can imagine, all the subjects learned throughout school are vigorously strengthened in the sequential process of creative media production. Here is educational motivation at its finest. We know you are well aware of the depth of the media process; that’s why we are sending this note to you.

When students use language, the arts, technology, community investigation, teamwork, and problem solving, they are engaged in the process of what education is all about. The display of student video and multi-media productions is a vivid demonstration of authentic portfolio learning.

At the Show at the newly reopened Museum of the Moving Image’s HD Theater on Thursday, March 13, 2014 from 10 a.m. to 2p.m., students will project their media creations in a magnificent auditorium; visit the pioneering museum exhibits of communication and media arts ; and, get a pep talk ( or cautionary tale) from a media pro. Media creators such as Spike Lee, LL Cool J, the anchors of New York’s news stations, and pioneers of computer animation have come as coaches inspiring tomorrow’s media makers with their talks.

We would be delighted if you could share some of your students’ media works and present them in the auditorium of student media makers on Thursday, March 13, 2014. Each school or media group will be limited to a total of 10 minutes in the interest of engaging the most schools. Due to construction at the Museum of the Moving Image, we were grateful to have our Show at the Museum of Modern Art and the Sony Wonder Technology Lab during the past years. Now we are delighted to once again collaborate with the newly redesigned Museum of the Moving Image, a national leader in film and television education and outreach. Participating students will be invited to interact with the hands-on media exhibits in the Museum (free admission for Show participants) in addition to presenting their student productions in the unique Museum auditorium.

Student DVD’s must be received by the end of February, so they can be tested in the HD auditorium before the show. Please E-mail Dr. Heyworth the number of students attending and how the DVD’s will be delivered (mail or hand delivery as per phone or E-mail arrangements). Student media makers interested in the New York State Summer School of Media Arts should come with completed applications (with parental signatures) and evaluation forms for the Summer School to show their work on March 13th, 2014. Our special guests from the professional world of media always provide an engaging showing and commentary for all participants.

At the New York Youth Media Arts Show, students will be presented awards for their dedicated contributions to student media production; several high school students who present their works and bring completed applications will be eligible for scholarships to the 2014 N.Y. State Education’s Summer School of Media Arts at its up-state media campus; and all will take pride in the knowledge that they are part of the newest generation of media creators. We look forward to the enthusiastic participation of our New York City students and the unique dedicated teachers who facilitate their creative environment. We are grateful that the pioneering Museum of the Moving Image has generously offered its distinguished HD Theater to present New York’s student media creations for the N.Y. Youth Arts Media Show. The pride of students seeing their work on the 30 foot screen is phenomenal!

We´re looking forward to the participation of you and your students, reaching out to share your students’ work in video, film, photography, and multi-media computer production. We look forward to projecting your students’ DVD creations. This year is especially significant as it marks the initial years of the N.Y.C. Department of Education’s vital Blueprint for the Teaching and Learning of the Moving Image. This new curriculum blueprint promises to spark continued growth of media expressions as a vehicle for learning in our schools.

Each school can come with a group of students whose number should be forwarded before hand. (Admission is free for participants, but student numbers must be made precise with an E-mail confirmation.) We’ll contact you shortly with additional details once you E-mail information about your participation and DVD data (titles, genre, times). The students’ creations demonstrate the richness of media production as a path to learning. Congratulations to both students and their devoted teachers! READY!, CAMERA!, ACTION!

Educationally Yours,
Dr. Eric Heyworth, Director
N.Y. Youth Media Arts Show