Giving students a head start into the media and entertainment industry

When a high school in Washington Heights sought donations of used filming equipment to save their media studies program, the Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network proposed an even better idea – to build a new production studio right inside the school. 

In 2018, the network helped raise $1.7 million for the George Washington Educational Complex to kickstart HITN’s Studio in School initiative, and through funding from local elected officials, a state-of-the-art broadcast studio was built. The initiative furnished the Washington Heights academy with equipment and programs tailored to high school students, who would train in employable media skills while creating content for their communities. With instruction from industry experts, high school students enrolled in the program receive Career and Technical Education certification, allowing them to kickstart film and media careers upon graduation.

“The real unique part about this is that we’re building real production studios.This production studio in the school is the same as the one I have down the hall from our team station, identical,” said Angel Audiffred, vice president of government affairs & community relations at HITN.”

With the media and entertainment industry currently valued at $28 billion and expected to grow over $40 billion in the next five years, HITN’s Studio in the School initiative aims to give students a head start to enter one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy with professionalized training experience. 

“We didn’t want to build something that is watered down, because when they graduate and they go into the real world, it’s not going to be the same. So they have a real interface. They’re using the same programs,” said Audiffred. 

HITN, a nonprofit based at the Brooklyn Navy Yard that was founded by HIspanic media and telecommunications executive Jose Luis Rodríguez, works to “advance the educational, cultural and socio-economic aspirations of U.S Hispanics through the development and distribution of quality and authentic content, on-air, online and on the ground,” according to its mission statement.

In recent years, HITN expanded efforts to build a new in-school studio equipped with film and production elements at the Theater Arts Production Company School in the Bronx. Raising $1.6 million since 2018, construction for the studio is due to start next spring, along with a new media curriculum tailored for both high-school and middle-school students. 

“Approaching this at the high school level is fantastic, but in many respects too late, because kids are already doing this. Kids are filming, editing and creating content on their phones as young as 10-years-old,” said Audiffred. “So we went back to the drawing board and designed programs that would serve a much younger student – middle school and elementary.”

The program has also partnered with local cable news providers such as Altice USA and News 12 to organize internships and film commercials for local business owners. Students enrolled in the program can make upwards of $50 an hour during internships, with HITN hoping to expand its database of partners to place graduates into full-time jobs

The Theater Arts Production Company School’s in-school studio will be the city’s first indoor-outdoor sound stage in a public school. The instructors who will lead the program boast experience such as working on shows like Saturday Night Live, have produced and directed award-winning documentaries and helped design curriculums in collaboration with the Department of Education. As most of these in-school studios are based in high-need communities, these programs can play a crucial role in giving students access to creative and lucrative opportunities. 

“[The instructors] are both from deep within the industry, and have a lot of ties, which is important for our kids, because our kids need to know what’s possible and probable if they do our curriculum with fidelity. If they do our curriculum with fidelity, they can actually enter the workplace at jobs starting at $53,000 (a year) according to the latest industry statistics,” said Ron Link, the production company’s principal.

But above all, the program has helped improve attendance by helping students explore storytelling outlets, while honing critical thinking skills and confidence. 

“This is about teaching young men and women how to organize their thoughts and tell a compelling story through understanding thoughts, needs, and their audience,” said Audiffred. 

“A lot of the kids who we’ve seen graduate have all said one thing. ‘I now have the confidence to tell people my story. I have the confidence to tell people what I need or what I don’t want.’” Audiffred added. “A lot of the kids who are attracted to this are insecure, shy, wall flowers. This helps them find their voice, and at the end of the day, you can tell that they have a new respect for themselves and what they’re trying to do.” 

Going forward, HITN aims to expand the program into younger grades, with schools like the Theater Arts Production Company School serving as pilots to be replicated in schools across all five boroughs. The program is also partnering with the State University of New York and City University of New York to give students professionalized pathways to continue building their skills. 

“We’re inviting all the schools that have studios, all the schools in New York City that have an interest, to work with us. We’re working on creating this coalition. We’re going to share everything we’ve learned,” said Audiffred. “We’re hoping to create a network that has all the benefits, because again, this is the future.”