This summer, three different camps from the School of Communication are opening their gates, not just to give high school students a fun break, but also to give them a head start on their future. Each camp is built around hands-on experiences and clear pathways to possible careers, so instead of guessing what to study when they get to college, students can explore fields that could become their future professions.
“We are thrilled to welcome high school students to the School of Communication this summer,” said Michelle Carpenter, executive director at the School of Communication. “We are looking forward to the creative energy they will bring and hope their experience during the camps helps them see themselves at NAU when they begin thinking about their college journey.”
All three camps are focused on learning by doing. Teens will work closely with faculty, industry professionals and NAU students.
Storytelling through social media
The Social Media and Photography Camp will be taught by Beth Staub, assistant teaching professor, and Janice Sweeter, professor of practice. The camp will blend photography skills with social media strategy, teaching students not only how to take pictures that tell a story, but also how to create content for different platforms in a responsible manner.
“Especially for teens, it is so valuable to explain to them the responsible use of social media,” Sweeter said. “We go over privacy protections and how to recognize legitimate news sources, along with how to design their own social media accounts and personal brand. This camp is the perfect combination of social media and photography.”
The camp includes guest speakers and the chance to interact with NAU students who will share their experiences about being in college and how, as freshmen, they were not sure what to major in.
“I think their favorite part last year was being paired with my photography students and taking pictures around campus and downtown,” said Staub. “They were able to ask them questions about college and what it is like, while learning composition skills, how to set up a shot and how to take interesting pictures.”
Sweeter said that even though social media is something teens interact with daily, they might not know all the inner workings of it or how to develop a post that is engaging, fun and real to them.
“Personal branding is a very important piece,” she said. “They will learn the anatomy of a post and about all the social media platforms that are out there, as well as how to integrate these incredible images that they take.”
Where stories come to life
Austin Frick, assistant professor of practice, will be teaching the Animation Camp again this year, hoping to give participants a comprehensive introduction to the field.
“We will cover some of the foundational principles of animation, like anticipation, overlapping action and following through,” Frick said. “We will explore different mediums like flipbooks, stop motion animations and 2D computer animation. Students will also have some exposure to 3D sculpting and 3D character animation.”
Frick said the camp is for anyone interested in watching or making animation, or for those interested in finding a platform to tell their stories. All that is needed is some level of technical knowledge and openness to try new things.
“I hope students come away with a new skillset that allows them to create their own films,” Frick said. “It’s an incredibly empowering thing to be able to envision a story in your head and have the tools to bring it to life.”
Stories from the sidelines
The Sports and Adventure Media Camp is new this year and will be taught by Rory Faust, associate professor of practice.
“We started the Sports and Adventure Media academic program about two years ago, and this is the first time we are offering the summer camp,” Faust said. “Our current program includes television, radio, podcasting, live event coverage, written stories, online, social media, pretty much the entire gamut. We are going to showcase all those areas in the summer camp and students are going to be hands-on with our technology and will be able to see all our facilities.”
Students will also travel around Flagstaff for the adventure component of the program to see some of the opportunities offered outside of campus. Faust said this camp is the right fit for students who are interested in exploring media in the future and have college in their plans, as well as students who like sports and are passionate about not only traditional sports, but also outdoor adventure sports, which are abundant in the northern Arizona region.
“Part of the process of high school students figuring out what they want to do is exploring options,” Faust said. “Maybe they have an interest in sports, maybe in media or in the outdoors. It is a great opportunity for them to come to Flagstaff, explore the region, what the university has to offer and get a little taste of college life. I want them to walk away from this experience a little surprised, knowing all the opportunities they can have here at NAU.”
All three camps will run simultaneously with a day camp option and an overnight residential camp option. Day camps run from June 15-19, while overnight campers will arrive on campus on June 14. For more information and to sign up, visit the Communication Youth Camps website.
“These summer camps showcase the lifeblood of the School of Communication—teaching students how to tell compelling stories through film, photos, words, images and human emotion,” Sweeter said. “Plus, having fun in beautiful Flagstaff at the same time.”
Mariana Laas | NAU Communications
(928) 523-5050 | mariana.laas@nau.edu