A Return to Gnomon (and Beyond!)

In May 2011, DATA made it's first visit to the Gnomon School of Visual Effects in Hollywood. As graduating seniors reflected on experiences in their fours years in the Academy, they frequently mentioned that visiting this specialty school was a true highlight in their high school career.

Three years later, DATA returned to Gnomon with nearly 100 excited 8th and 9th grade students interested in digital arts. Beyond sharing this experience with an entirely new group of students considering careers in the AME industry, this trip was made even more special with an additional stop to visit the space shuttle Endeavor at the California Space Center. 

Especially interesting to students was

• Seeing an amazing collection of skill sets using a range of animation and software tools
• Visiting the original site of where Technicolor film processing occurred (RE: Wizard of Oz)
• A video game arcade as a 'research lab'
• Seeing how art and design skills can be applied to a high-end career
• Learning about student summer workshops
• The materials, cost, and fact that the shuttle was 'Made in California' by hand!

Hot Purple Modern Photography

On February 15th, 16th, 17th, 22nd and 23rd, DATA DI students once again ran a solar powered green screen studio with Hot Purple Energy. This time the event was during Modernism Week in downtown Palm Springs.

Students shot tethered into Aperture and used Photoshop to composite images onto some very "Palm Springs" backgrounds. The energy for the studio, live band, charging station, and old school pinball games were collected from roof top cells and routed to mobile solar generator.

Student Photo Hits Modernism

Congratulations to DATA senior, Jennifer Varela, for her photograph of the Modernism Show booth being selected for articles in both the Hollywood Reporter and Architectural Digest!

"It was great working with local filmmaker, Vincent Sassone, to shoot stills for the grand opening of Modernism Week. Its super exciting seeing my photography recognized this way and I'm looking forward to working more with local designers in this industry."

-Jennifer Varela

Apple Distinguished Program Cont'd

The Digital Arts Technology Academy's Digital Imaging program is very proud to further it's recognition as a 2013-15 Apple Distinguished Program for innovation, leadership, and educational excellence. This award truly comes from the amazing talent of the students and the network of educators that support the program!

Learn more about the program by 

downloading us on the iBook Store

Applebaum Award Well Deserved

A very special congratulations goes out to our very own DATA coordinator and counselor, Deborah Applebaum, for being selected by PSUSD as the 2013-14 Site Support Employee of the Year! Mrs. Applebaum was recognized on Feb. 11th in front of the district's school board and interviewed for consideration at the county level.

Everyone in the DATA program knows and appreciates the hard work and dedication that she has put into the Academy over the past 10+ years and understands what a valuable resource she has been for CCHS at large.

2014 Scholastic Arts

Congratulations to the following students for being recognized by The California Region of The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards!

Silver Key: Trees of Palm Springs
Manuel Gomez

Honorable Mention: Do What You Love (left) Vibe (right)
Mariafernanda Salazar

Honorable Mention: Dream Catcher, Leslie Rocha (left), 
Palm Springs Wind Farm, Alberto Colin (right)

DATA Presents to The Ford Foundation

On February 6th, Digital Arts Technology Academy students had the privilege of presenting how they "focus their creativity" to a visiting team from The Ford Foundation.

The team from Tennessee was here to visit PSUSD Linked Learning/California Partnership Academy programs in consideration for a Coachella Valley Model Track Community status as part of the Ford Next Generation Learning network. DATA students excitedly shared

The Rio Vista Collaborations and global iBook publishing

The DATA-SkillsUSA chapter

The CC News app 

The CC Zombies video game 

The DATA Junior Mentoring program

The Student Creative | 5 Now Live!

DATA DI is very pleased to announce FIVE, the 5th global arts challenge as The Student Creative!

Students and teachers from around the globe are encouraged to investigate the concept and submit works for book publication in support of the Jacaranda Foundation for AIDS orphans in Malawi. 

FIVE is a collaborative project for secondary students. The lesson is deliberately open to interpretation and variation to accommodate various curriculums, ideas, techniques, themes, or approaches to the concept of five.

Learn more about this year's project @ www.StudentCreative.org

OR join the conversation on

Art Education 2.0

Adobe Education Exchange

All original student works are due April 1, 2014