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"Educate to Animate, Animate to Educate" Program
Mercedes J. Sichon, a seasoned Animation Professional, leads the "5 Phases of Animation Production" Program in LA County. This year-long Afterschool/Mentorship initiative/program, "Educate to Animate, Animate to Educate," merges hand-drawn animation with tech/AI skills through mentorships from other Animation Professionals. Students work in team environments to create & produce Edutainment animation shorts screened at the program's end, fostering creativity & entertainment industry exposure for inner-city, disadvantaged youth & young people.
What is the primary issue area that your application will impact?
Access to tech and creative industry employment
In what stage of innovation is this project, program, or initiative?
Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)
What is your understanding of the issue that you are seeking to address?
The 2 main issues being addressed are: Access to tech & creative industry employment & youth economic advancement, with a focus on providing opportunities for inner-city & disadvantaged youth to gain skills & access entry-level positions in the animation & entertainment industries. By offering STEAM education with a focus on the arts, particularly hand-drawn/2D animation skills & AI for Edutainment (Education through Entertainment) projects, my program aims to equip students with the tools needed for creative occupations & produce Edutainment for K-12 educational institutions & streaming networks. Through mentorship & hands-on experiences, graduates are empowered to pursue careers in entertainment, potentially reducing income inequality & homelessness by fostering financial independence & homeownership. The program serves as a pathway for talented neuro-diverse students & foster children, offering hope & opportunities in the post-Covid era to further their art/tech education.
Describe the project, program, or initiative this grant will support to address the issue.
Further Program Development:
1) **Traditional Animation Mentorship**: Skilled Animation mentors teach traditional hand-drawn (2D) animation in a hands-on setting at our animation studio/classroom. Mercedes J. Sichon, TK Carter & Julian Chaney to serve as Main Co-Mentors. 2) **Comprehensive Animation Curriculum**: Students learn the "5 Phases of Animation Production" with hands-on team projects, improving communication & time-management skills for studio/classroom roles in a creative team environment. A movie theater screening at the end of the curriculum year showcasing the Edutainment animation shorts produced by the students. 3) **Entrepreneurial Incubator**: Empowering artists to explore other entertainment forms, fostering independence & family, mentors & community support. Become financially independent & become business owners. 4) **Edutainment Content Creation**: Students create inspiring Edutainment content to be distributed on streaming platforms and in educational settings. Ie: Producing an animation short on one young girl's personal experience with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who helped her stage a "sit-in" in her school to become the 1st Black American Brownie in 1950's Connecticut. 5) **Homeownership Opportunities**: Graduates and their families are guided towards owning homes for long-term stability and financial growth. 6) **AI Integration in Animation**: We will explore AI's role in animation for future industry advancements & innovation in the process.
Describe how Los Angeles County will be different if your work is successful.
If successful, our program will transform Los Angeles County by nurturing a new generation of talented students & artists who revitalize traditional animation styles & can pivot into other creative industries. They will pioneer impactful edutainment content, educating & inspiring audiences globally. Graduates will find fulfilling artistic careers, financial independence, & entrepreneurial skills, supporting themselves & their families. With support from mentors & communities, they will lead the animation industry, leaving a legacy of creativity. Graduates will continue to mentor future generations, fostering talent & innovation, enriching lives in LA & beyond. Our program empowers individuals to not only educate but tell great stories in entertaining ways, pursue passions, achieve stability & contribute meaningfully, creating a lasting legacy of creativity & inspiration. So Los Angeles in 2050? With thanks to our mentors and students, it is a thriving MECCA OF CREATIVITY & INNOVATION!
What evidence do you have that this project, program, or initiative is or will be successful, and how will you define and measure success?
Success in the "Educate to Animate, Animate to Educate" Program will be measured through weekly/monthly creative outputs, student engagement, a focus on relationships to deadlines, weekly production reports, monthly budget reports, student progress, completion of the 5 Phases of Animation Production Curriculum & feedback/satisfaction. Monitoring the quality of work, participation levels, financial health, student development, program milestones & stakeholder satisfaction will help assess the program's effectiveness. By tracking these metrics, the program can ensure continuous improvement & provide a fun & engaging learning experiences for all participants. We will concentrate on +80% success rate throughout the year in not only the student's creative output but annually, where students are successful Graduates of the Program & that they are more than ready for any entry level positions or artistic & creative positions in any animation studio.
Describe the role of collaborating organizations on this project.
Lead Organization: Mercyful Creations, LLC
Prime Responsibilities: *Afterschool/Mentorship Program Development
*Provide Edutainment/AI Visual Development with 3 Collaborative LLCs
*Edutainment Projects' Sizzle Reels/Shorts produced for Future Donations/Sponsorships Opportunities.
*For the Mentors/Students to produce artwork/content for hands-on experiences. Partner Organizations:
1) Cyclone Media Group, LLC-Collaborate on Edutainment Development
2) City of Refuge (Faith-Based Nonprofit)-Provide classroom/office/training space & opportunities to inner city/disadvantaged students in LA County.
3) Orbit Toons, LLC-Provide distribution of Edutainment content to streaming networks & other venues.
4) ACE Media Academy-Pending Nonprofit-Present the Afterschool/Mentorship Program to the LA area.
Approximately how many people will be impacted by this project, program, or initiative?
Direct Impact: 100.0
Indirect Impact: 1,000,000,000.0