About the DMAC

NBPC/Public Media Corps (PMC) is partnering with WHUT-TV and Howard University on a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to help combat the dropout crisis in this country. Every year, more than 1.3 million students drop out of high school – that’s 7,000 a day! The American Graduate Initiative was launched to fund programs at local public radio and television stations to address the issue in 20 impacted “hub markets” where the dropout crisis is most acute. In addition to the PMC, WHUT is partnering with WAMU and WETA to produce content and build awareness on dropout issue in Washington, DC.

The PMC is helping to tackle this program by providing digital media production and literacy training to 8^th and 9^th graders in DC public schools with the goal of increasing retention rates and academic scores.  The PMC set up Digital Media Arts Club (DMAC) after school programs in five (5) DC middle and high schools.  The DMACs engage, educate and empower students to use digital technologies to achieve personal growth, self-expression, and improve educational performance.  The hands-on training is provided by Fellows selected from Howard University, who undergo an intensive boot camp training on running the clubs and providing instruction in multi-media production using a range of digital technologies.

Content produced by the clubs will be shared with DC Public Schools, American Graduate hub stations throughout the US, and posted on a web portal shared by WHUT-TV, WAMU radio and WETA.

The participating high schools are Eastern, Ballou Arts & Technology Academy, Anacostia, DC MET and Paul Public Charter. Email us at Ivana@publicmediacorps.org for more information and to sign up!