Summer Studio Workshop Helps Teens Find Creative Careers at The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire

(San Bernardino, Calif. – May 10, 2007) Guiding teenagers into creative careers – and making a living doing something they love – is the main goal of the Summer Studio at The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire.

“Today’s young people determine their career destinations early,” says Byron Chung, President of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. “They look for exciting opportunities that will let them make an excellent living doing something they truly enjoy. Summer Studio is a great opportunity for high school students to find and identify those creative career positions.”

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire Summer Studio program is a four-day workshop for high school juniors and seniors in the Inland Empire region in California. Students may choose programs from any of the school’s seven programs of study – Graphic Design, Culinary Arts, Culinary Management, Game Art & Design, Media Arts & Animation, Interior Design and Interactive Media Design.

“The idea behind the Summer Studio program is to let students explore the real world of the field that interests them most, and in the process they also benefit one of the area’s nonprofit groups that can use their help,” says Chung. “We will work with the nonprofit on a mutually agreed upon project to benefit them, then present it to the organization and the students’ families on the final day.”

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire views itself as not just an institution of higher learning, but also an integral part of the Inland Empire community. Instead of having students work on a fictional project, Chung felt that the students would learn best from working with a real client and on a real project. Faculty and staff members agreed and are enthusiastic about helping nonprofit organizations throughout the Inland Empire.

This year, The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire has selected the Boys and Girls Club of San Bernardino as the focus of student’s creative efforts. The organization is excited about the opportunities.

“We will help them with new menus for their Head Start program from our Culinary Arts department, a new website from the school’s Media Arts & Animation program, a 30-second commercial from Game Art & Design, and a special events poster and a new brochure from the Graphic Design program,” said Chung.

Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Mark Davis is very happy to have the help from the school and from students’ participation in Summer Studio. “When I joined the Club as director, one of the first things I did was to take down the website. It had too much old information. That is just one of the areas where we need a lot of help and we are really looking forward to the help we will receive from The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire.”

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire has a history of helping such organizations. Last summer, the Summer Studio high school students helped San Bernardino’s Inland Agency develop a poster that integrated the look of each of its four programs.

Becky Forman, Inland Agency’s Executive Director, explains, “We work with low-income families in three counties, assisting with health, Medicare and youth development programs. We needed help creating an identity piece that really brought the vision of what we were doing together.”

The students did just that and everyone was really pleased with the results. “This summer,” Byron Chung said, “we anticipate 20-25 students signing up for the June 26-29 program.”

The Summer Studio project is a multi-faceted one: aiding the community’s nonprofits; introducing the high school juniors and seniors to hands-on experiences instead of traditional academic classroom work; and introducing them to The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. “It’s just four days,” says Admissions Director Monica Jeffs, “but it’s a brief yet intense way to let high school students experience what it is like to attend The Art Institute and show them they can find a career doing something they love.”

When students enroll in Summer Studio, they first meet with an instructor from their selected program. Then they are divided into groups to work on various parts of their project. Ultimately all groups gather to put the entire project together, which is presented to the nonprofit organization. “This way we’re giving the students an example of what their possible field of study entails in case they decide to later come to the school,” Chung said.

The program will be held June 26-29, 2007 at the school, located at 630 East Brier Drive, San Bernardino. High school students interested in more information can call The Art Institute at (909) 915-2100. The cost is $350 without housing, or $525 with housing at the Fairfield Marriott.

For more information about the Summer Studio and The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, call Monica Jeffs at (909) 915-2100 or e-mail mjeffs@aii.edu.