The Annenberg Youth Academy for Media and Civic Engagement (AYA) is a four-week summer intensive academy for 26 talented high school students from the communities surrounding the USC University Park and Health Science Campuses. Students are exposed to the equivalent of first-year college-level courses and meet with guest speakers to develop a rich conceptual understanding and practice of the necessary role that media communications and journalism play in fashioning civic-minded thought leaders and innovators. Here are a few highlights from this year’s program:
Entertainment PR and Marketing Specialist Pilaar Terry ’02 spoke with AYA students about her journey to POV Agency, the do’s and don’ts of brand management and the importance of self-advocacy. With a decorated PR portfolio housing the likes of AT&T, Sony, Timberland, Victoria’s Secret and Nike, she inspires students by offering a clear and sustainable model for industry success and entrepreneurship.
Chanel Lake, senior vice president of influence marketing at Edelman, shares the ins and outs of utilizing creators for social media marketing. Content Creator Kelly Uchima, also detailed the role influencer marketing plays in the current media landscape and what the future holds for this rapidly growing industry.
Five AYA alumni — Kailyn Huang, Kalyn Mason, Alexis Rae Johnson-Fowlkes, JJ Flores and Yetnaleci Maya — discuss what they are studying in college and encourage students to reach for their own collegiate dreams.
Girls Inc. Los Angeles joins AYA participants to learn media production skills in the Annenberg Media Center. Diving into the technical aspects of podcast production, three AYA and middle school students recorded a podcast episode discussing what to expect from high school, how to combat bullying and comparing middle-school experiences then versus now.
Cairo-based Journalist Nada el Sawy shares her experience working in international journalism, highlighting her work during the September 11th terrorist attacks and the Middle East. She emphasizes the importance of humanity and empathy in reporting, expanding student’s perspectives on reporting global issues.
Demonstrating the Charlotta Bass Journalism and Justice Lab’s interactive AI-tools, Founder and USC Annenberg Associate Professor Allissa Richardson lead an intimate Q&A session with Lora King, daughter of Rodney King and founder of the Rodney King Foundation. Students learned about the history of the portrayals of harm against African Americans in media, citizen journalism and how they can combat biases against marginalized groups through their reporting.