1. The Digital Safari Academy
@ Mt. Diablo High School
redefining school, redefining cool since 1996

2. Some Background
• 1996 USDOE Vocational Education Grant
• 2004 California Partnership Academy Grant
• 164 students in 10th - 12th grades
• Multimedia skills learned form a basis for
careers in wide ranging new media fields
10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade
• Multimedia I • Multimedia II • Multimedia III
• English II • English III • English IV
• World History • US History • Economics
• Math • Math • US Government

3. The DSA Paradigm
• Academic standards drive CTE projects
• Students as designers of content, not simply
consumers
• Learn media tools by applying them to
specific academic tasks
• Focus on Communication Confidence -
visual, reading, writing, speaking, listening
• Vertical integration and 3 year focus lead to
academy wide expectations

4. Innovation Model
• When developing projects, teachers integrate
four ideals to ultimately encourage students to
reach their full potential
• Innovation: New solutions for real world problems
• Varied Outcomes: Reading, Writing, Listening,
Speaking, and Visual
• Audience: Teachers are not the sole arbiters of quality
• Competition and Relevance: Students gain a
realistic edge in employment and college tasks

5. The Career Academies Project
Career Exploration Visits
Fall 2009 (11th Grade)
Bars+Tone - Video Production & Advertising
AKQA - New Media Advertising
Electronic Arts - Video Game Production
Spring 2010 (10th Grade)
Beyond Pix - Video & Television Production
KTVU - Commercial Television
KQED - Public Television

8. The Career Academies Project
College Visits
10th Grade - University of California, Berkeley
• February 17, 2010
11th Grade - San Francisco State University
• April 15, 2010

11. The Career Academies Project
Internship Site Development
• Contra Costa Television
• Guava Films
• Willows Theater Company
• C&T Publishing
• Concord Music Series
• and more...