EGUSD Receives $50,000 Specialized Secondary Programs Grant for Digital Media Academy at Pleasant Grove High School

The following is a news release from the Elk Grove Unified School District: 

The Elk Grove Unified School District has received a $50,000 Specialized Secondary Programs (SSP) grant to be used to enhance the Digital Media Academy at Pleasant Grove High School (PGHS).  SSP grants help school districts develop innovative programs to help students learn and develop real-world, 21st-century skills.  These programs can cover a variety of subjects, including English language arts, math, science, history/social science, foreign language and visual/performing arts.  The programs may include Linked Learning pathways, career academies and arts-integrated models.

With the SSP grant, PGHS will build a sequence of two new animation courses and two new academic core classes integrated with career technical education (CTE). The PGHS Digital Media Academy’s goal is to develop a two-year animation sequence.  The academy will offer Animation I beginning with the 2014-2015 school year.

The new academic core courses were created through a highly collaborative process sponsored by the University of California and public high school educators through the University of California Curriculum Institute.  One class is an English 10 class integrated with video production.  The other class is a World History class integrated with graphic design.  These A-G approved courses are integrated with academically rigorous core content and quality CTE instruction.

The PGHS Digital Media Academy is a four-year program in video production that allows students the opportunity to learn and participate in all aspects of video production including editing, camera work, script-writing, storyboarding, producing and directing using the school's television studio. Articulated post-secondary credits are available. Click here for more information about the PGHS Digital Media Academy.