SYSTER Project : Digital Days of Learning : After School Youth Camp Program

SYSTER Project isthe empowerment program of the Moretta Community Development Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. We're proud to devote our energyadvocating for technology connectivity, diversity, equity and inclusion and the empowerment of low-income, under-resourced, underrepresented communities, young people and families in need.

THE SYSTER PROJECT (Self-Sufficiency Through Training, Education and Resources) : The After School Learning Project is a multi-year collaborative project with Mad Mixed Media, LLC. The multi-media creative design after school project focuses on technology education, youth learning and supports student empowerment and technology career workforce development initiatives related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM). The project brings together digital design, mixed media creativity, art and culture, software innovations and technology education and projects to inspire youth through real world learning experiences while also introducing them to professionals from digital design, cultural arts, technology related and high income earning technology careers.

CREATIVE DIRECTION : AFTER SCHOOL LEARNING . THE MAD MIXED MEDIA EXPERIENCE.
Mad Mixed Media, LLC (MMM) is a multi-media company that creates original content for various digital platforms including gaming, television, film, entertainment and music. The development teams also create mobile apps, web apps, websites, video games, banner ads, music videos, logos and commercials. Daniel Johnson, Founder & CEO is the principal and visionary of the organization. The company designs, adapts and evolves within a changing world of digital media ; adapting to the latest technology and software to deliver educational programming in the cutting edge of interactive digital media design. MMM has a long history of providing digital education content and learning experiences while working with nonprofit organizations, local professionals and community groups.

MMM provides educational training services in the development of banner ads, web design, motion graphics, app development, 2D and 3D graphics, music production, video game design, product design UX / UI, branding, logo design and VFX. The Mad Mixed Media (MMM) after school learning program creates opportunities to learn multi-media design with a dedicated weekly virtual course curriculum rooted in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and STEAM (Science, Technology Engineering, Arts and Math) designed to teach skills to students building their personal artistic portfolio. The program aims to inspire student participants considering careers in the digital technology space and connects them to related opportunities in support of their chosen educational paths.

ONE HUNDRED KIDS. ONE HUNDRED DAYS. The Mad Mixed Media Outreach campaign, ONE HUNDRED KIDS, ONE HUNDRED DAYS aims to raise awareness around delivering positive MMM program opportunities on behalf of at risk youth and creates real life opportunities to change the cycles of poverty for low-income students and young people working towards educational excellence and a better quality of life. The outreach campaign supports the project with parent / guardian / youth partnership resources including access to empowerment workshops related to college readiness, financial literacy, health education, career and workforce development and local community college and university resources.

MORETTA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION.
Moretta Community Development Foundation (MCDF) supports the project through community partnership development, outreach, administrative support, staff development, compliance support, technical assistance / training training services (financial literacy, capacity building training and youth career development training services) and fiscal management . The program enlists the participation of cybersecurity and technology industry professionals who also participate in the student career fair activities and the MCDF summer cyber camp event scheduled as part of the program.

MCDF supports the MMM experience through college readiness workshops and related topics including technology education leading to STEM and STEAM careers. "We see a generation of young people for all of the diversity, creativity and solution creators they can be. Our goal is to counter the negative effects and stigma of being from low-income or food insecure households. The program staff is a culturally sensitive staff who understand the trauma of those conditions and are committed to creating a culture of positivity and support on behalf of the youth empowerment program environment and policies of the organization.

WORDS MATTER. The current language of modern society including what's on television and social media in general, is equally negative. Underserved, Black children and people of color are constantly subject to cultural insensitivity and inappropriate language; hearing themselves referred to as "marginalized", "discriminated against", "low-income", "low-valued", "low-wealth", "highest unemployed", "hard to count" (HTC); the list of negative identifiers goes on and on. The MMM After school learning project aims to reduce access barriers to opportunities and counter the seeds negativity stifling our human potential.

TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION. YOUTH LEARNING EXPERIENCES. THE FUTURE IS NOW. The mission is to give kids everywhere access to the opportunity to learn, contribute through service learning projects, be in a supportive and resource rich environment (workshops, scholarship opportunities, internship opportunities, have access to bus passes to ensure transportation is not a barrier to access, and creating experiences that help them make education / work / career choices for their own self-sufficient and self-determined lives. The MMM project aims to cultivate a generation of healthy, happy, empowered youth who are the designers of innovation and solutions for the places we call home.

TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION. YOUTH LEARNING PROJECTS. Young people and student participants have the unique opportunity to learn from technology experts and artistic professionals in a fun and supportive environment. The projects' learning environment encourages participants to be curious, ask questions, get answers while meeting mentors from companies and leaders, volunteers and instructors who represent commitments to empowerment, diversity and inclusion.

TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION. STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION. Stakeholder participation creates the opportunity to showcase the accomplishments of diversity and inclusion in the various business and technology sectors and helps dispel myths that people of color can not succeed or "break into" or succeed in the technology careers. Culturally and linguistically appropriate staffing of the project reflects our commitment to creating and promoting a culturally diverse workforce for the future. Technology stakeholder participation is key to the success of the project. The economic and jobs impact from the project is powerful, but volunteer partners / industry professionals connecting with the youth of the program is priceless. We welcome support.

MMM PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES. The fun interactive learning experiences modules ranging from one (1) day, two to three (2 - 3) day format or a 5 (five) day advanced experiences. The program curriculum is developed by the Mad Mixed Media development team. MCDF also participates in the learning module delivery through an MCDF curriculum focused on initial program and parent orientation, program learning objectives and participation guidelines, basic personal computer safety protocols, issues around personal responsibility with program equipment and cyber literacy topics.

STUDENT PARTICIPATION. Student participants range from 5th grade through 12th grade. The program offers access to mentoring programs, scholarships and internship opportunities through partnering technology industry companies. The project goals include improving student achievement and strengthening the pathways leading to opportunities of higher learning, internships and high income opportunities in the technology sectors. The project team is committed to successful career outcomes of the participants. Therefore the program / project design provides a "HUB" model of supportive wrap-around services in alignment of the project mission and outcomes.

PROJECT INVESTMENT. BUILDING LONG-TERM TECHNOLOGY CAREERS AND WORKFORCE. The projected annual operating budget is $5,000,000.00 per year over a ten (10) year operating plan. The ten year, $50,000,000.00 investment is projected to make considerable advancements in the mission of developing sustainable pathways of career opportunities, career development, workforce development and bridges the unmet need to establish a strong system of technology education and learning pathways between the middle and high school (5th grade - 12th grade), including community college or trade school to university or entry-level technology careers.

TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION WORKS. THE UNMET NEEDS. The goal of the project is to inspire young people and engage them towards innovation and successful career outcomes. The project helps creates a sustainable and lasting work-frame towards solutions to the identified staff shortages in the cybersecurity and technology workforce in the years ahead. The project designs a solution aimed to tap into and unlock creativity and human ingenuity to bridge that unmet need. Technology stakeholder participation is key to the success of the project. The local economic and jobs impact from the project is powerful, but volunteer partners / industry professionals connecting with the youth of the program is priceless. The SYSTER Project / MMM after school learning project is a unique solution to that challenge today. Our vision is to create an inclusive workforce of diverse, inspired young people, leaders and innovators of tomorrow. We welcome support.