NAPILI – Maui Preparatory Academy has been awarded a Hawaii Schools Digital Media grant from the Hawaii Educational Networking Consortium. This $2,000 grant will allow Maui Prep to expand its digital media video program and produce original school-based videos that will be aired on TEACH Channel 356 at Olelo Community Media.

Maui Preparatory Academy’s experiential digital media program offers students in-school and co-curricular learning opportunities designed to provide the conditions necessary for students to engage, connect, create and share knowledge that is of interest to them.

Students produce a series of short films that feature current students and utilize peer-to-peer learning to share interests, experiences and activities at Maui Preparatory Academy.

Students in the digital media program learn a diverse set of skills, including underwater digital photography, drone photography, storytelling, social media marketing and graphic design.

Students develop a broad range of practical skills, including researching, writing, camera work and sound recording, producing and editing.

Maui Preparatory Academy is also thrilled to partner for the second year with the Maui Huliau Foundation to offer an environmental film production course on campus in the spring. This course is open to all students in the community who want to improve their digital storytelling skills.

Under the leadership of Malia Cahill and her team, the movies produced in the past have won local and national recognition for their quality, creativity and messaging.

“We are building a digital media culture at Maui Prep, and the time is right,” said Andrew O’Riordan, Maui Prep teacher.

“Our students are digital natives, awash in the technology and imagery of the 21st century, and they need to know how to navigate this brave new world with skill and strategy. Through media creation, learning from local experts and partnering with businesses and NGOs, Maui Prep is positioning itself to become a nexus for digital media education and production in West Maui.”