GLOW Academy partnering with Sony Pictures Entertainment

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - It’s not that often that young students get the chance to work with major media companies, or television stars, but GLOW Academy in Wilmington is getting that special opportunity.

“We have a large donation from Sony to build out a state of the art, modern, broadcast, digital media school within GLOW,” said Michael Frederick, GLOW’s Media Technology Instructor.

GLOW Academy is partnering with Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Global Social Justice Fund to start a program providing students with more knowledge in digital communications and video production.

Students will get hands on experience with equipment used in those industries, offering an opportunity to grow interest in everything from film-making to journalism.

“This equipment is expensive, these resources don’t come cheap. And so having someone step in and give us the resources that we need to provide these girls with a top-level education is phenomenal,” said Frederick.

The program will offer five courses, each with room for about 25 students in middle and high school.

“Work with cameras, video cameras, they’ll be able to do little news shows, and just develop their skills. We’ll have audio stations where they can work on podcasting, and really just test and feel out all the exciting technology that’s available today,” said Frederick. “So we have a lot of other phenomenal programs, we have a state-of-the-art kitchen program, so part of our assignments will be working with those students when they’re making their food assignments, they’ll come in and take pictures of the final work, they’ll then learn graphic design layout and make sort of a recipe layout.”

“We are all about building that confidence and giving them that skill set, and I think a program like this enables the students who are at GLOW to sort of have an upper hand. It’s unlike any program that I’m aware of, especially starting in middle school,” said Kate Tayloe, GLOW Academy’s new principal.

The program came together over the past few months, and now, there’s an added bonus--during the first year students will get the chance to work alongside mentors from the cast and crew of the Netflix hit series “Outer Banks.”

“I think it builds a lot of momentum in the program to see with continued work as a student in the program, and building those skills, what’s really possible on the other side of that,” said Tayloe.

School leaders hope this program offers an opportunity to grow interest in any of the wide variety of digital media industries.

“Providing these girls with the opportunity to be creators instead of just viewers is really gonna strengthen what they can do in the community and really strengthen their voice,” said Frederick.

Frederick also noted that they want to partner with small businesses in the community to create various forms of media, adding to that real-world, hands-on experience.

There are still a few spots open at GLOW Academy for this school year. Click here for more information.

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