Akaku: Maui Community Television has been granted $5,000 for support of their successful Youth Broadband Education Awareness Mentoring (YBEAM) program from the MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund ‘Building Pathways’.“We are honored to be recognized by MEDB as being worthwhile of support,” explains Akaku Director of Education & YBEAM, Kat Tracy, “their dedication to STEM education is a monumental asset to Maui Nui youth! We are thrilled that they see the value of our innovative youth program, and this funding will enable us to expand and reach more youth.”
The YBEAM program was developed with a grant from ZeroDivide out of San Francisco via a federal BTOP (Broadband Technology Opportunity Program) grant in 2011. YBEAM teaches youth how to produce short community stories using broadband technology in an all ‘mobile’ environment. Participants shoot, edit and distribute their content using Apple iPod Touches. Youth produced stories air on cable channel 55 and on www.mauitube.org. Other program goals include civic engagement, media literacy and Certification that enables stipend job opportunities. YBEAM is currently recruiting for itʻs summer programs. Applications are available at www.akaku.org.
For more information call Kat Tracy at (808) 871-5554 or visit www.akaku.org.