YMP: A Life-changing Experience

8/8/2016

by Z'eani Furdge

From the very beginning of the Youth Media Project, I was very shy and never really spoke unless I was spoken to. I was nervous and scared about how I was having to be in a room full of people I barely even knew for just about all day.

As we were getting deeper and deeper into the program, the normal me started to flow. I started talking more, cracking jokes and just flat-out having a good time. This came fairly quickly because the people in YMP were making me feel comfortable. During these past two months, I have not only learned about podcasting and more about technology, but I've also learned more about journalism than I ever imagined. Being in YMP has helped me to be in more control of my responsibilities. By us having to do things fairly quickly, it has helped me get finish what I need to get done. YMP can definitely change your life and is the place to be during the summer.

I really hate that this very educational, life-changing, makes-you-grow-up, have-fun-and-do-work-at-the-same-time program is coming to an end. I have met plenty of new faces and made plenty of new friends. I am very thankful that God has even led me to YMP and for being able to attend it. This program has brought so much joy to my life from the positive energy and the it-feels-good-to-be-alive attitudes from everyone. I love how we all have something to bring to the table and always have a share on what we think and feel. And of course we have fun; we're teenagers—that's what we know how to do! Walking into an atmosphere like this everyday is something a lot of people wish they had, and I'm thankful to have been able to be a part of it.

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Major Sponsors and Supporters of YMP

Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) is a leader in informational broadcasting. MPB has exhibited a commitment to educating and informing Mississippians. MPB has partnered with YMP to lend tech equipment and provide youth engagement and media specialists to train students.

E3, a project of Parents of Public Schools of Jackson (now Ask for More), supported YMP in summers 2016 and 2017 with stipends for students, and other resources.
The Community Foundation of Greater Jackson (now The Community Foundation of Mississippi) is the
fiscal sponsor for E3.

Podastery Studios in downtown Jackson offers a network of locally produced podcasts. Beau York, founder of Podastery, has generously donated his time to train YMP students in podcasting skills and allowed Youth Media Project students to borrow professional podcasting equipment to learn
production skills.

Dialogue Jackson, formerly Jackson 2000 Inc., is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to fostering understanding and building harmony between people of different races, ethnicities and backgrounds. The group became YMP's fiscal sponsor in 2017 and hosts youth dialogues for teens..

Choice Printing in downtown Jackson is an in-kind sponsor of YMP offering YMP copying and printing services from its Capitol Towers location.

Good Design & Code >>

Good Design & Co offers high-end UI/UX, web development, app development and branding services. Principal J.C. Hiatt is helping YMP students publish their own website for stories, video, podcasts and more.

Jackson-based Workplace Solutions by Barefield is a Steelcase authorized dealer offering high-end office furniture and technology solutions. Workplace Solutions has loaned chairs, mobile desks and mobile whiteboards to create a collaborative office for YMP participants.

Jackson-based Fuse.cloud (formerly Broadband Voice) offers Voice-over-IP phone systems, fiber Internet connections and technical services. Fuse.cloud has sponsored phones, VoIP phone service and technical assistance for YMP.

SPECIAL THANKS TO DR. GEORGE SCHIMMEL and NATALIE IRBY FOR THEIR GENEROUS DONATIONS OF PRODUCTION IMACS FOR THE YOUTH MEDIA PROJECT.
CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TO YMP.

YMP Student Voices