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Freestyle Academy highlights facilities, guest speakers and May 22 exhibition; calls for wider student outreach
Summary
Freestyle Academy staff reported on upgraded production facilities, upcoming student exhibition on May 22 and new industry guest speakers; staff and trustees discussed outreach and transportation barriers for Los Altos students.
Freestyle Academy staff told the board on May 5 that the program has expanded facilities and industry partnerships, and invited the board to its end‑of‑year exhibition on May 22.
Why it matters: Freestyle serves students across the district with hands‑on media, animation, film, music and design pathways; staff said stronger outreach and transportation could boost Los Altos student participation.
What presenters said - Freestyle representative (Leo Florendo) said the program is in its 19th year, described new studio resources (green‑screen room, production studios) and said the program recently moved into new campus space that improves student production capacity. - Florendo said a student film produced by the program was nominated among the top three finalists for a California media festival; the awards ceremony is May 17. - The program has added guest speakers this year, including a Sony film producer (credits cited by presenter), a game‑studio animator and a local graphic designer who taught design fundamentals (contrast, repetition, alignment, proximity — "CRAPT" in the presenter’s shorthand). Freestyle also ran a poet‑in‑residence and is using industry guests to reinforce classroom messages. - Freestyle invited trustees and the public to an exhibition on May 22 from 5:00–8:30 p.m. (films showing 6:00–8:00 p.m.).
Discussion and follow up: trustees asked about applicant pools and outreach; Freestyle staff said the program’s typical applicant pool is 60–170 depending on the year and noted Los Altos students are underrepresented relative to Mountain View students. Staff said adding two‑way transportation to/from Los Altos High could increase Los Altos participation but would carry a cost.
Ending: Freestyle leaders asked the board to attend the May 22 exhibition and said they will continue to explore outreach, internships and employer partnerships to expand student opportunities.
