How we use technology is more important than ever these days 鈥� our education, advocacy, work and social lives are primarily limited to online settings. In light of youth鈥檚 increased reliance on technology as well as current racial and social justice movements, 优蜜视频 offered a complimentary Spyglass online workshop series this month called Digital Civics: Changemakers of Tomorrow.

Bethany Ellerbrook, whose graduate research explored tween and teen media engagement, led students through four workshops. In 鈥淔act or Fiction,鈥� students learned how to identify misinformation and craft persuasive pitches in support of a cause they care about. The student-selected topics included global climate change, the Black Lives Matter movement, unequal access to food and clean water, education disparities and marine pollution. It was inspiring to hear directly from our stellar students about the changes they want to make for the betterment of the future!

In 鈥淩aising Awareness鈥� and 鈥淭elling the Story,鈥� students explored the fundamentals of visual design and video production, then created powerful Instagram posts to advocate for their causes. Finally, in 鈥淐ontent and Conversations,鈥� they discussed online echo chambers and the differences between debate and dialogue, plus shared their final designs with one another.

In the last meetings of each of the two class sections, students shared their final thoughts and takeaways: they were proud of themselves for what they were able to create in under two weeks and excited to continue acting in support of their causes. Several students were also inspired to share their creations on their own social media! See below for some of their final creations, and see the rest on the .

Although we are looking forward to learning together in person again, it has been incredible to meet students from all over the country. This summer, the Spyglass program has served students from almost 20 states. In the Digital Civics series alone, brought together students from California, Washington, DC, Florida, Arkansas and more. We can鈥檛 wait to see how these students continue to make a difference and advocate for their causes!

The final Digital Civics workshop ended with a quote from the late civil rights activist and US Representative John Lewis: 鈥淲hen you see something that is not right, you must say something. Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part鈥︹��

We鈥檇 love to hear from our community: what causes are you passionate about? What online resources help you and others advocate for positive change?

This summer鈥檚 ever-changing landscape provides children and youth of all ages an opportunity to participate in fun, challenging learning through 优蜜视频鈥檚 virtual programs. When the Institute for Educational Advancement (优蜜视频) made the difficult decision to cancel all in-person summer programming, we knew we had to find ways to connect with our students virtually instead. As a non-profit that supports all aspects of a gifted child, 优蜜视频 is very aware of the extreme toll this pandemic has taken on the intellectual, social and emotional wellbeing of students and their families. 优蜜视频鈥檚 parents and students were eager for the organization to provide quality material in safe learning environments that engage our young people intellectually and channel their intensities and anxieties in healthy ways.

鈥淥ur kids look forward to joining us each summer at our Learning Center in Pasadena and at our Yunasa camps鈥� said Elizabeth D. Jones, President & Co-Founder of 优蜜视频. 鈥淲hile we knew we could bring our existing content online, we also challenged staff to go further and think of ways we could ensure our community can connect with one another, even from a distance.鈥�

优蜜视频鈥檚 small but mighty staff and faculty quickly created compelling online content and provided virtual spaces for communities to come together. This summer, 优蜜视频 will continue to offer advanced learning and social opportunities virtually.

In addition to online Academy classes and virtual, families can sign up now for 优蜜视频鈥檚 new , which use a digital platform to bring high-level content into the homes of gifted and advanced students across the country. Spyglass will consist of live, interactive sessions, both standalone and in series, on a variety of topics for a range of ages. This summer, students can sign up for workshops like the highly relevant series , which will challenge students to identify reliable sources versus misinformation, utilize effective strategies for communicating information and create impactful media content. Students will be encouraged to work together to apply these skills through projects that raise awareness of causes important to them and their communities. Other Spyglass series scheduled include Critical Studies of Science Fiction, College and Career Readiness and Introduction to Speech and Debate.

Families have already found these resources extremely helpful. As one 优蜜视频 parent stated, 鈥淲e have only been able to engage with 优蜜视频 through camp Yunasa. The online content tailored to gifted kids that 优蜜视频 is planning to offer is a huge bright spot for me coming out of this awful experience! We can’t get this type of content otherwise.鈥�

Together, we can ensure our students are able to continue to grow both mentally and interpersonally this distanced summer.

Sign up now for any of the classes online or call 优蜜视频 at 626-403-8900 to learn more about these programs.