Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Youth Cinema Education Program topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Latino Film Institute outlines Youth Cinema Project for local students
Summary
Leaders of the Latino Film Institute presented the Youth Cinema Project to the board, describing classroom push‑ins, after‑school programs, CTE pathways, alumni networks and industry fellowships that the nonprofit says support students from fifth grade through early careers.
Axel Calleiro, chief executive officer of the Latino Film Institute, and Hector Chai, director of education programs, told the Academy Governing Board that the nonprofit’s Youth Cinema Project (YCP) aims to turn classrooms into creative studios where students learn filmmaking from concept to screen. The presenters said the program includes in‑class “push‑in” instruction, after‑school offerings, a two‑course CTE film pathway, summer intensives and an alumni network that connects students to college and industry opportunities.
The presentation focused on program structure and outcomes. “We start Youth Center Project at the fifth grade level all the way to high school,” Calleiro said, and noted the organization partners with studios and streaming platforms for fellowships and industry training. Chai described the signature push‑in model: two vetted professional filmmakers co‑teach with a classroom teacher, meeting twice weekly for 90 minutes to guide students through screenwriting, preproduction, production and festival screening.
Board members were shown a short video of alumni and students speaking about personal growth and career exposure. Student participants said the program increased confidence, provided on‑set experience and raised interest in media careers. One student in the video said, “This program has honestly changed my life,” while another said the program helped them become “more confident in myself when it comes to reading.”
Calleiro said YCP offers equipment procurement and flexible options for schools, including leasing or purchasing kits, and emphasized that the program is aligned to ELA and media arts standards. Chai said the program uses a pre/post rubric and Stanford Center for Assessment research to measure growth in writing, social‑emotional learning and the four C’s.
The presenters said the YCP alumni network includes about 500 students who completed at least one year of YCP; alumni may access mentorships, fellowships, studio visits, dual‑enrollment support and workforce pathways. Calleiro emphasized that the program is offered at no cost to districts as part of the nonprofit’s mission.
Board members did not take formal action on the presentation; the session concluded after questions and playback of the alumni video.
