PSUSD High School Students Learn the Magic of Filmmaking

Bulletin Board is a weekly summary of education news from the Coachella Valley and beyond.

The red carpet was recently rolled out for high school students in the Palm Springs Unified School District, thanks to the inaugural Young Creators Student Film Program. Over eight days this summer, the young filmmakers produced a total of 25 short films, which culminated in a grand premiere on Thursday morning at the Mary Pickford Theater in Cathedral City.

“Young Creators has provided our students with invaluable, hands-on Hollywood experience,” said Amber Gascoigne, director of extended learning at PSUSD, “and we look forward to continuing this partnership in the years to come.”

This week in our roundup of educational events: the EDGE/plEDGE program at College of the Desert is accepting applications from recent graduates of local high schools for free tuition; COD is converting its single-use restrooms to gender-neutral spaces to ensure inclusivity and accessibility; a tribute to John Norman, a founding faculty member at COD; and a promotion of internships for college students at the Riverside County Office of Education.

Have we missed a noteworthy education story? Raise your hand and send it my way: [email protected].

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Young filmmakers from the Palm Springs Unified School District make their screen debut

Lights, Camera, Action: Following the 2024 Palm Springs International ShortFest, the Palm Springs Unified School District unveiled a student film program for young filmmakers aimed at supporting the next generation of filmmakers.

Director Christian Sesma, who has worked with many famous stars over the years, from Val Kilmer to Mickey Rourke and Richard Dreyfus, founded Young Creators, a program that is part of PSUSD’s after-school and summer education programs.

Under the leadership of Sesma and his carefully selected team of instructors, students had eight days to produce their own short films. Young Creators aims to prepare you for a career in the film industry.

“I am excited to provide the Palm Springs Unified School District with the opportunity to learn the basics of real Hollywood filmmaking,” Sesma said in a press release. “The creativity and enthusiasm (of the middle school students) was truly inspiring.”

The young filmmakers — students in grades five and eight — premiered their short films Thursday at the Mary Pickford is D’Place Theater in Cathedral City, complete with a red carpet. The event was hosted by Sesma and Oscar winner Nick Vallelonga.

More: ShortFest 2024: Francesca Scorsese Presents Her Own Filmmaking Journey ‘Fish Out of Water’

The EDGE/plEDGE program at College of the Desert continues to offer free tuition to high school graduates

Paying for a college education can be a challenge, but since 2017, College of the Desert has offered two years of free tuition through its EDGE/plEDGE program for full-time students who graduated in the spring from a local Coachella Valley high school.

To qualify for the program, students must take a three-week summer bridging course designed to prepare them for COD, including college-level math and English courses. Students have the option to enroll in one, two, or all three classes to prepare for their first semester at COD.

For more information: Visit collegeofthedesert.edu/students/edge/sign-up.php

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College of the Desert introduces gender-neutral restrooms

Just after Pride Month, College of the Desert announced that it is converting its single-use restrooms to gender-neutral facilities and expanding the distribution of free menstrual products – an effort to ensure inclusivity and accessibility.

By July 1, gender-neutral restrooms will also be marked on COD maps so students know how to access these resources. Currently, the college’s student clinic provides free menstrual products. However, the school is also switching to stocking these products in dispensers located in gender-neutral restrooms. This change is intended to ensure that students of all gender identities, including transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming students, have access to these essential items.

More: Coachella Valley High teens have been advocating for menstrual equality for two years

“At this college in particular, I think we do a great job of supporting and helping our LGBTQ+ communities,” said Laura Hope, interim president/superintendent of COD, at a recent board meeting. “It’s really important that we have the infrastructure in place to support their needs.”

The Student Health and Wellness Center is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the summer holidays.

Remembering John Norman, First Director of the College of the Desert Choir and Vocal Ensemble

The College of the Desert community mourns a month without John Love Norman, professor emeritus of music and one of the first eight professors hired to teach at the then newly established College of the Desert in 1962. Norman died on May 23, 2024 at the age of 96 years.

Affectionately called “Doc” by the thousands of music students he mentored over the decades, Norman brought international recognition to the college, which received invitations to sing at prominent places of worship in Europe and England.

As The Desert Sun previously reported, his legacy extends far beyond concerts or notes on a piece of paper, but extends to his students.

More: Starting with 3 pianos, “Doc” then transformed the College of the Desert music program

“A few years after high school, I was in a dark place,” John Shoemaker told The Desert Sun in 2019. “My personal life was in shambles, I locked myself in my room and didn’t come out. Then I heard about the music program at COD and made an effort to get out and see what was going on. I signed up for music classes and that was the beginning of a new chapter.”

He retired from COD in 1999 after 37 years of service.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at 4:00 PM at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Palm Desert.

Internship spotlight: Riverside County Office of Education seeks students for one-year paid internships

The Riverside County Office of Education is currently accepting applications for 2024-2025 year-long school internships at offices in Indio, Riverside, Murrieta and El Centro.

Prospective candidates must be enrolled in college and will be able to intern flexibly around their schedules (8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday) from September 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025. This temporary internship position offers wage of $17 per hour for a typical workweek of up to 19.5 hours. Applications can be submitted until 3:30 p.m. on Monday, July 1.

Interns will train in various departments of RCOE including:

Office of the Superintendent of Riverside District Schools;
Educational services;
Early childhood education services;
Government Relations;
IT services;
HR services;
Student programs and services.

RCOE supports 23 school districts in the county, serving nearly 430,000 students.

For more information: Visit go.rcoe.us/InternFall24

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This report builds on a previous report by Ema Sasic.

Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Contact her at [email protected].