Youth Town Hall 2019

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For the third consecutive season, IMPACT students attended all four of the Desert Town Hall Youth Town Hall speaker series evenings to create promotional materials for different aspects of the events.

Youth Town hall gives high school students from all over the Coachella Valley the opportunity to hear from and speak with world renown journalists, politicians, authors, speakers, and people of influence.

In addition to recapping each event, IMPACT students are in the process of creating several short documentary projects, including a behind the scenes look at the Youth Ambassadors program and stories from the sponsors behind the events.

The KIHS Rajah Report is a live daily broadcast produced by students of the Institute of Media Production Arts and Creative Technology (IMPACT) at Indio High School. Visit http://ihsimpact.org for more information and follow IMPACT on Twitter @ihsimpact

Digicom Showcase 2019!

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On March 20, Digicom Learning hosted the inaugural Desert Sands Showcase in the Indio High School Performing Arts Center. Films from elementary, middle, and high school students from throughout DSUSD were screened, students were recognized for their hard work, and a myriad of classroom grants were awarded.

IMPACT had 6 films featured in the showcase, in addition to Not So Undercover Sup, which was created in collaboration with Digicom and DSUSD Superintendent Scott Bailey. 6 IMPACT seniors were also awarded scholarships totaling $5000 and the IMPACT pathway was given a classroom grant of $600.

Finally, several IMPACT students who have been serving as Digicom interns for the past year assisted with production of the event, distributing awards, and overall organization/planning.

2019 SkillsUSA Regionals!

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On January 26th and February 2nd, 34 students from the Indio High School IMPACT, Engineering, and Network Systems pathways competed in the Southern California SkillsUSA Regional Skill and Leadership Competitions.

GOLD
Internetworking (Network Systems)
Job Skill Demo Open (IMPACT)

SILVER
Advertising Design (IMPACT)
Internetworking (Network Systems)
Welding Sculpture (Engineering)

BRONZE
Chapter Display (Engineering)
Internetworking (Network Systems)

ADVANCE TO STATE
20 Second Elevator Story (IMPACT)
Audio Radio Production (IMPACT, 2 teams)
Creed (IMPACT)
Digital Cinema (IMPACT)
Information Technology Services (Network Systems, 2 teams)
Internetworking (Network Systems, 3 teams)
Pin Design (IMPACT)
Promotional Bulletin Board (ENGINEERING)
Introductory Drafting A (ENGINEERING)

Students in all competitions listed will next compete in the SkillsUSA California State Conference in Ontario this April!

PSIFF Student Screening Day 2019!

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On January 7th, the first day back from Winter Break in 2019, more than 400 students from Indio High School and Shadow Hills High School were treated to the Palm Springs International Film Festival’s Student Screening Day.

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Students were given the opportunity to experience two films (What Will People Say and Chef Flynn), participate in a Q&A session, and enjoy a complimentary lunch catered by Aspen Mills Bakery.

The two films were selected based on their ability to showcase different perspectives and experiences through an accessible and human lens, allowing students to expand their cultural understandings and critical eye while also developing a greater understanding and appreciation of the filmmaking process.

After the screening of the second film, Chef Flynn, the film’s director and main subject, Cameron Yates and Flynn McGarry hosted a Q&A session where they discussed the challenges of being a young entrepreneur, carving your own path in life, and tackling the 6 year process of creating the documentary.

This is the third year that Indio High School and IMPACT have hosted the Desert Sands screening day.

Visual Branding at Disneyland!

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As part of Disney’s Youth Education Series, 40 IMPACT students in grades 9-12 made the long trek to Disneyland through pouring rain and freezing temperatures to participate in a Visual Branding and Marketing workshop.

The experience gave students an overview of what it means to develop and communicate a brand, including logo design, core values, and earned vs. paid promotions. Students then creating their own mock advertising campaigns based on relevant missions statements and goals they crafted.

The workshop took place at Disneyland, where some of the world’s best examples of visual branding and marketing are on display every single day. The knowledge gained through this workshop will allow students to develop better resumes and portfolios, communicate more effectively, and better understand how their own personal values and experiences can be valuable assets in work and education beyond high school.

IMPACT @ Warner Brothers!

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On Friday October 26th, 48 IMPACT students traveled to Burbank for a VIP tour of Warner Brothers Studios.

In addition to a guided, in depth tour of the studio backlot, students were able to visit prop departments, design studios, and the legendary motion picture vehicle museum.

Most importantly, many of the ideas and concepts covered everyday in the classroom were easily observable in a real-world, professional environment.

Graduation Live Streams

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For the second year in a row, IMPACT produced multi camera live streams for the Indio and Shadow Hills High School graduation ceremonies. 

Each live stream included 5 cameras, audio, and a production switcher operated by a student crew. 

This is the same method used to live stream rallies and events on campus, and will carryover into more sports (football, basketball, water polo, etc) in the coming school year. 

Check out the Indio High School 2018 graduation live stream:

Congratulations IHS Class of 2018! The KIHS Rajah Report is produced live every day by students in the IMPACT Career Technical Education Pathway at Indio High School. Visit http://ihsimpact.org for more information. Follow @ihsimpact on Twitter


Not So Undercover Sup: Episode 2!

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On June 2nd, 10 IMPACT students and 10 DSUSD employees from the Transportation Department collaborated with DIGICOM Learning and DSUSD Superintendent Scott Bailey on the second episode of "Not So Undercover Sup". 

The crew braved the hottest day of the year so far (108 degrees) and a rigorous 10 hour production schedule, but the results were worth it. In this episode, Bailey (in disguise) gets an insiders perspective of how the DSUSD Transportation Department operates as he learns to drive buses, maintain the vehicles, and how much work goes into keeping things rolling smoothly. The episode will premiere before the start of the 2018-2019 school year, as IMPACT students and DIGICOM staff will work together on the post production process over the summer. 

The inaugural episode had Bailey undercover in the Nutrition Services Department, and premiered this past March.

The Not So Undercover Sup series is a partnership with DIGICOM and Indio High School's IMPACT CTE pathway students. This innovative project was created as a way to celebrate the dedicated staff that work so hard behind the scenes in Desert Sands! The first episode recognizes the unsung heroes of DSUSD Nutrition Services department.

Zero to YouTube Hero!

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On May 31st, IMPACT Industry Partner Heather Ramirez of Sharespark Media hosted a "Zero to YouTube Hero" community outreach workshop for Coachella Valley residents of all ages who are interested in sharing their stories via YouTube. Zero to YouTube Hero seeks to help people creating thriving channels, even if they've never uploaded or made a video before. 

Attendees ranged in age from 7 to 77, and all had different concepts for their potential channels. The workshop focused on the essential questions to ask when starting a channel as well as many of the under-appreciated benefits that come from YouTube (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, technical skills, etc.).

The workshop also highlighted and showcased the IMPACT pathway as well as several IMPACT student YouTube channels.

IMPACT at DIGICOM 2018!

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The 10th Annual DIGICOM Film Festival was held on May 17th in the Palm Springs High School Theatre. 

This was the first year that the festival included submissions from schools outside of Palm Springs Unified School District, and IMPACT lead the way, representing Indio High School and DSUSD with two student projects, After and Before and the inaugural episode of Not So Undercover Sup featuring DSUSD Superintendent Scott Bailey. 

IMPACT students were called on stage to receive recognition for their efforts, and IMPACT senior Anissa Arriaga received a $1,000 scholarship, making her the first DSUSD students to receive a DIGICOM scholarship!

After and Before: An IMPACT Short Film

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Students from IMPACT, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, and Palm Desert High School collaborated on a live action/animated short film project developed during a two day storytelling workshop lead by Parker Jacobs last spring. Jacobs is the Art Director for Yo Gabba Gabba and has a long career working with The Aquabats, Vans, Paul Frank, and many more. 

Working together, the students created a story that reflects on how the present is determined by the past and how the decisions we make now will affect the future. The film, After and Before, will also be part of the 2018 DIGICOM Film Festival.

This is an original IMPACT student filmed developed through a two day workshop with Parker Jacobs (The Aquabats, Yo Gabba Gabba, Goon Holler, and more). Students from Indio High School, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, and Palm Desert High School collaborated to develop and produce the combination live action/animated project.

IMPACT Instructor Named District Teacher of the Year!

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On May 10th, IMPACT Instructor/Coordinator Tom Buck was selected as the high school Teacher of the Year for the Desert Sands Unified School District. Tom will now represent DSUSD in the Riverside County Teacher of the Year selection. County Teachers of the Year will have the opportunity to potentially be selected as a California State Teacher. 

Most importantly, the recognition exemplifies the impact that Digital Media has on students and education. As a relatively new pathway, IMPACT has grown to offer a full four-year selection of rigorous A-G approved courses and adaptive to the individual needs of students. With digital media literacy being as important as reading and writing literacy, providing students with the skills and experience needed to not only succeed but survive in the modern world is a serious responsibility. 

 

IMPACT & The City of Indio

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IMPACT at the Indio Block Party

Over the past several weeks, IMPACT students have begun to work with officials from the City of Indio on a variety of media/marketing projects to promote and revitalize the city.  This includes redesigning street sign banners,  storefront window wraps, and other prmotional materials. 

Bill Schinsky gives a tour of the CV Art Center

 

Students were also able to participate in a walking tour of the city, which included Downtown Indio, the CV Art Center, City Hall, the Indio Performing Arts Center, and more- giving students a new appreciation nad insight into their hometown. 

IMPACT students were also given the opportunity to have exhibition space at the Indio Block Party/Tachevah Music Festival on May 5th, where they interacted with the public, showcased work and projects, and set up a selfie station for everyone at the event. Renae Farias filmed and edited a recap montage on site during the event:

The City of Indio has an annual Block Party in downtown Indio and in this year's Block Party the City of Indio has collaborated with Tachevah, where bands showcase series and competition in the Coachella Valley.

SkillsUSA 2018 State Conference!

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From April 19-22, 50 students from Indio High School's IMPACT, Engineering, Network Systems, and Health pathways competed in more than 15 competitions at the 51st Annual SkillsUSA State Conference in Ontario, California. 

SkillsUSA California is the fastest growing group in the country, growing from 2,300 to 35,000 members in less than 8 years. 

▶ Check out my gear on Kit: https://kit.com/sodarntom Episode 65: SkillsUSA California State Conference It's time to crush the competition...or at least, you know, do your best! The 51st SkillsUSA California State Conference saw over 3,000 students competing in Skill and Leadership competitions for pretty much every career field imaginable.

Steven Martinez earned a Bronze medal for Pin design and Elpidio Poblano earned a Gold medal in Internetworking and will be representing the state of California at the SkillsUSA National Conference this June in Louisville, Kentucky!

"Not So Undercover Sup" Premier!

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IMPACT students from the DIGICOM After School Club celebrate the "NSUS" premier.

As part of the DIGICOM After School Club at Indio High School, students worked in conjunction with DSUSD district administrators to produce the first episode of Not So Undercover Sup. 

The episode follows DSUSD Superintendent Scott Bailey as he goes "undercover" in the Nutrition Services department to see how the district provides meals for more than 30,000 students every day. 

IMPACT students planned, filmed, and edited the project along with DIGICOM Instructors. Students are currently in the preproduction stages of episode two, which will focus on the Transportation Department. 

The episode was premiered at the DSUSD District office in March and will be featured during the 2018 Digicom Film Festival.

The Not So Undercover Sup series is a partnership with DIGICOM and Indio High School's IMPACT CTE pathway students. This innovative project was created as a way to celebrate the dedicated staff that work so hard behind the scenes in Desert Sands! The first episode recognizes the unsung heroes of DSUSD Nutrition Services department.