“The website is designed to share the history of McComb … with an emphasis on the stories of working people of all races, women and young people and how they have strived for equity in labor, civics, education, economics and the arts.”
of the center. Students in the program also learn about the various aspects of digital media, including business ethics; they also experiment in graphic design and animation. The program seeks to offer certifications in Adobe software and Final Cut Pro as well.
Speakers from Apple and WLBT in Jackson have visited the class, explaining their careers and discussing various opportunities. McDaniel is confident that this program will impact student’s futures; already one student has an internship this summer with WLBT, where she will use her video-editing skills gained through this class, and another student changed his major to graphic design and is planning on attending ITT Tech upon graduation. “The students are allowed real-world experiences with projects such as this one,” McDaniel said. And those real world experiences will help these students prepare for careers; these experiences offer the students a range of learning opportunities that will serve them well as they continue their educations. Catchings said, “[I] think it’s the way of teaching in the future. … I just think it’s a course that could be duplicated in a number of ways; it’s just a fabulous course.” The students have been recognized nationally for their work by Story Corps, a nonprofit organization promoting the telling of history as a means to emphasize connections. The students are involved in competitions as well. In February, the Digital Media students submitted a documentary about the Burglund High School walkout in the National History Day competition at University of Southern Mississippi, and they placed second in the state. They will go on to compete nationally in Washington, D.C., this summer. The students will then have an opportunity to accomplish their goal: to share their website, their stories and their history with the nation. 17