Muskegon County youth experience hands-on digital storytelling workshop
The Mosaic Film Experience teamed up with Pathfinders of Muskegon to provide 25 Muskegon County students with an introduction to the art and science of digital storytelling. Led by Mosaic Film Experience education leads Mallory and Randy Strobl, the half-day workshop at Temple United Methodist Church, 2500 Jefferson St. in Muskegon Heights, introduced students to the language, process and techniques of digital content creation.
As Pathfinders looked to expand their summer program to include filmmaking as a creative option, they reached out to the local grassroots organization Muskegon Heights Coalition for Community Development (CCD), who in turn connected them the Mosaic Film Experience. CCD and Mosaic Film Experience previously collaborated on digital storytelling classes with the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District. Working together, the Mosaic Film Experience tailored a workshop to best fit Pathfinders of Muskegon’s program needs.
“Our goal is to inspire the next generation of storytellers to embrace the medium of digital storytelling to own their narratives and further connect with creative outlets,” Mallory said.Teams of students experienced hands-on education about media literacy and how to plan and create videos, which included story ideation, outlining, storyboarding and filming.“Students are digital natives and storytelling can be a practical way to bridge classroom learning and real-world experiences,” said Skot Welch, founder, Mosaic Film Experience. “Storytelling is an in-demand communication skill for 21st-century careers across all disciplines and industries.”
Pathfinders of Muskegon is a community-based youth center whose goal is to engage, empower and motivate youth in Muskegon to be future leaders. Pathfinders of Muskegon incorporates social emotional learning, mindfulness and creative expression to give youth a voice in their community.
“I enjoyed watching the workshop unfold,” said Shauna Hunter, executive director, Pathfinders of Muskegon. “I was impressed with how the Mosaic Film Experience had students of all backgrounds so involved and interested in the process. Our participants are diverse; most are minorities, specifically BIPOC, and live within the inner-city communities of Muskegon County, many are LGBTQIA. Learning how to use digital filmmaking to tell their own stories is an important opportunity for the students.”
The Pathfinders of Muskegon students ranged from grades 6 through 12. Pathfinders of Muskegon is an independent youth center and serves youth from across the county and school districts, including Muskegon Heights Public Academy, Muskegon Public Schools, Orchard View Public Schools and Mona Shores Public Schools.
“The Mosaic Film Experience not only has the expertise, but they also put so much heart and soul into the program and their teaching methods, which is evident in the student’s smiles,” said Kerri VanderHoff, executive director of CCD. “We’re excited to find additional ways to partner with the Mosaic Film Experience and Pathfinders of Muskegon to share the skills and impact of digital storytelling with youth in our community.”
About Pathfinders of Muskegon
Founded in 1997, Pathfinders is a non-profit organization that serves youth in Muskegon County ages 8-18. Pathfinder's objective is to provide enriching programs that supports the social, emotional, and total wellness of children and families within our community. Learn more at: https://www.pathfindersofmuskegon.org/.
About Coalition for Community Development
Founded in 2005 by Dr. Doris Rucks, the Coalition for Community Development (CCD) is a non-profit organization that seeks to build relationships with neighbors to support a thriving community in Muskegon Heights. Learn more at https://www.mhccd.org/