"Educate to Animate, Animate to Educate" Program

Access to tech and creative industry employment

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.