- Kylie Peppler, Chief Learning Officer
For our LRNG Cities, it truly was a summer of innovation. In just a few short months, 12 cities across the LRNG network created and launched a whole range of passion-to-purpose playlists designed to engage youth in exploring and pursuing their passions and provide new opportunities to hone valuable skills for the 21st century workplace.
From game development and fashion design to civic engagement and local governance, these diverse playlists combine online learning with real-life opportunities that connect youth to their communities as well as industry professionals in their field of passion.
See what our LRNG Cities created this summer:
- An Introduction to Civic Engagement by Pittsburgh guides youth in identifying areas where public governance has the most impact on their lives and provides techniques for getting involved and making a difference through technology. The Playlist culminates with an XP that allows youth to apply their new skills by addressing a real neighborhood issue that matters to them.
- Digital Arts Music Production by San Jose helps youth achieve a fundamental understanding of modern music production and guides them in creating and sharing their own compositions through social media channels.
- Hire KC Youth Summer Internship Experience by Kansas City is a mixed-mode internship program that engages high school and college youth online and in the real world as they explore career opportunities in local government.
- Game On by San Diego exposes youth to the basics of game design and development while providing networking opportunities with industry professionals as well as other resources to help them explore this developing field.
- Fashion It Yourself by Dallas is a production-focused portal to the foundation of everyday fashion design, offering youth diverse opportunities to engage in the design process using accessible items and a variety of mediums.
- Summer Selfie by Springfield guides users through self-discovery and helps youth identify the intersection of their skills and interests while also connecting them to local resources in their field of passion.
- Skyscraper Games by Philadelphia introduces youth to code by creating a video game for the World’s Largest Architectural Video Game Display. In this playlist, youth learn the basics of Python, a programming language, and have a chance to design their own games for the Cira Centre, a skyscraper in Philadelphia.
- Honing your Video Voice Instrument by Rochester encourages youth to express themselves through the art of video production and unlocks a real-life opportunity to participate in Raising 100,000 Voices, an established Rochester film program/festival, upon earning the Video Voice badge.
- 2016 Summer Steps: Community Center by West Sacramento builds community engagement by allowing youth to experience a variety of areas in recreation administration, customer service, special events and more at the West Sacramento Community Center, a focal point of city life for residents of all ages.
- Be Payday Ready by Chicago prepares youth to manage their finances once they enter the workforce. The playlist encourages youth to save for their future and helps them understand timesheets, handle their taxes, and ultimately maximize their paychecks.
- My Job Ready Plan DC by Washington, D.C. introduces youth to skills needed in the workplace. The playlist focuses on time management, appropriate dress, accepting feedback or criticism, interacting with coworkers, and navigating public transit.
With these new additions, LRNG now offers more than 200 playlists across the platform, which currently serves more than 28,000 youth. As we continue to expand and build a community of practice, we’re happy to see our partner networks sharing LRNG’s goals and mission, such as Digital Media Learning, which is working to promote connected learning playlists. This year, the organization announced $700,000 in awards for 11 winning projects in the Playlists for Learning Challenge.
