MC Popper, and guru behind the Temple Media Education Lab Renee Hobbs has created a pretty groovy university-school partnership with more than 75 elementary school children from the Russell Byers Charter School in Philadelphia.
The program is "designed to strengthen children's abilities to think for themselves and communicate effectively using language and technology tools. Children use their powerful voices to contribute to the quality of life in their families, their schools, their communities and the world."
From the website: Students have created news and advertising messages, developed a documentary about the green roof of the Philadelphia Free Library, created their own version of an “American Idol” music competition, and composed their own music videos—including writing and composing original music. They created a TV judge program to consider media coverage of the musician Chris Brown and the domestic violence case. They’ve met with the head of an advertising agency and visited a TV network. And they’ve documented their work with more than 120 videos--- all posted on their own You Tube channel. And who are these media moguls? The youngest is only 5 years old--- and the oldest has just finished the 6th grade.