Phillips Youth Video Project impacts teens

When Andreas Asher turns 16, he’ll have to give up his blossoming television career for school, a regular job and basketball. But for now, he’s looking forward to seeing his work on the small screen.

Andreas is one of five teens who spent their summer making a video documentary—or “movie” in teen-speak—as part of the Turn it Up! Youth Media Team at Phillips Community Television (PCTV). The team’s work is funded by the Summer Youth Employment and Training Program, and is intended to help low-income and at-risk kids improve their academic and job skills.

Starting in mid-June, each youth worked four days a week at Phillips Community Television learning how to interview, record and digitally edit video. They also were responsible for researching, choosing and then documenting their topic.

At 10 o’clock each morning, the students arrived at the PCTV studio at the corner of Chicago and Lake, above Robert’s Shoe Store. Until mid-afternoon the students worked on their team project, researching their topic, asking passers-by for their opinions, interviewing state and county officials, and finally editing all their tape.

One student suggested doing their own version of the MTV program “Jackass.” Program Coordinator Michael Hay reminded them that their purpose was not to mimic what they think is cool. Rather, Hay encouraged them to choose “socially relevant programming—things they care about.” It seems they listened. They narrowed their possible topics to the economy of the Phillips neighborhood and teen pregnancy. The economy won by a 3-2 vote.

With help from Michael Hay, they produced a half-hour documentary in two months. “I didn’t think the movie was going to take this long to make,” said Andreas. The program includes segments on the effects of the state budget cuts, the job market, affordable housing and new business developments.

On Thursdays, the PCTV youth team attended classes at the Loring Nicollet Bethlehem Community Center to polish their job skills, take field trips and study for the tests that Minnesota students must pass to graduate. Many of the approximately 1,000 students in the citywide summer program needed help passing their Minnesota Basic Standards Tests in reading and math, and preparing for the tenth grade test in writing. Only about half of Minneapolis eighth graders pass the math and writing tests on their first try, compared to around three-fourths of eighth graders statewide.

The program’s focus isn’t solely academic, however. It also focuses on “soft skills” like showing up for work on time and calling in when you’re sick. “This is where they learn [that] things that happen at school can’t happen at a job,” said Gerry Gulbranson, project specialist with the Minnesota Workforce Center’s Youth Services. She said the program at PCTV is good because it teaches all the soft skills, “but there’s also a solid skill level [of video production] that they’ll leave Phillips Community TV with.”

Andreas confessed that he wasn’t eager to start the program, which began with two weeks of training. “I didn’t really feel like learning anything because I had just gotten out of school,” he said. “I didn’t really want to be bothered with it.” Once he learned the ropes, though, he started having fun—and enjoying the extra income.
Several of the students complained about the $5.15-an-hour wage. But the income helped 15-year-old Kaltum Salad pursue one of her favorite hobbies and the topic of her “personal project”: shopping at the Somali malls. During the later part of each afternoon—what could have been the whine-and-gripe hours of the day—the students were let loose to work on their personal projects.

Kaltum was surprised by one requirement of the program. “I didn’t know I’d have to be on camera,” she said. Kaltum, who will be a junior at Roosevelt High School, said one summer of television production is enough “because I want to try new things and not do the same thing all over again.” She said she plans to participate in the employment program again next summer, but at a different work site.

The Turn It Up! documentary will be broadcast during September on Minneapolis public access cable channel 17 on Mondays at 7:30 p.m., and in St. Paul on public access cable channel 16 on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.

For more information about PCTV, visit their Web site www.phillipscommunitytv.org or call 612-821-3938. For more information about the Summer Youth Employment and Training Program, call 612-673-5700.