Wide Angle Youth Media Inc

THROUGH MEDIA ARTS EDUCATION, WIDE ANGLE YOUTH MEDIA COLLABORATES WITH AND AMPLIFIES THE VOICES OF BALTIMORE YOUTH TO ENGAGE AUDIENCES ACROSS SOCIAL DIVIDES. OUR PROGRAMS INSPIRE CREATIVITY AND INSTILL CONFIDENCE IN YOUNG PEOPLE, SUPPORTING THEM TO NAVIGATE SCHOOL, CAREER, AND LIFE. SINCE 2000, WIDE ANGLE YOUTH MEDIA HAS WORKED WITH OVER 8,290 YOUTH FROM ACROSS BALTIMORE CITY AND COUNTY WHO HAVE PRODUCED THOUSANDS OF MEDIA PROJECTS ABOUT THEIR LIVES AND COMMUNITIES.

SEE SCHEDULE OWIDE ANGLE YOUTH MEDIA ("WAYM") WAS FORMED AS A NONPROFIT CORPORATION UNDER SECTION 501 (C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, UNDER THE LAWS OF MARYLAND ON OCTOBER 30, 2000. THROUGH MEDIA ARTS EDUCATION, WIDE ANGLE YOUTH MEDIA COLLABORATES WITH AND AMPLIFIES THE VOICES OF BALTIMORE YOUTH TO ENGAGE AUDIENCES ACROSS SOCIAL DIVIDES. OUR PROGRAMS INSPIRE CREATIVITY AND INSTILL CONFIDENCE IN YOUNG PEOPLE, SUPPORTING THEM TO NAVIGATE SCHOOL, CAREER, AND LIFE. WAYM DELIVERS FREE AND ACCESSIBLE IN AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME CREATIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING TO MORE THAN 500 PARTICIPANTS AGES 10-24 EACH YEAR, SERVING 506 TOTAL YOUTH DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2024.WAYM PARTICIPANTS ARE ENGAGED AS ARTISTS, CHANGEMAKERS AND LEADERS AS THEY CREATE MEDIA PROJECTS. ACROSS WORKSHOPS, ALL PROGRAMS AIM TO PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT THAT BUILDS ACADEMIC AND WORKFORCE READINESS SKILLS. WAYM'S CURRICULUM IS CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH NATIONAL MEDIA ARTS STANDARDS, MSDE ARTS STANDARDS AND INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION (ISTE) STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS. STEAM- FOCUSED LEARNING HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY COMPATIBLE IN MEDIA EDUCATION, WITH BOTH DISCIPLINES INTEGRATING INVESTIGATIVE, HANDS- ON, AND PROJECT-BASED LEARNING THAT IS ROOTED IN REAL LIFE SKILLS.SINCE THE ORGANIZATION'S FOUNDING IN 2000, WAYM HAS ENGAGED OVER 8,290+ BALTIMORE CITY AND COUNTY YOUTH WHO HAVE PRODUCED HUNDREDS OF VIDEOS ABOUT ISSUES SUCH AS YOUTH IDENTITY, SAFETY, HEALTH, MEDIA LITERACY, AND RACIAL JUSTICE. FY24 PROJECTS INCLUDED OVER 500 FINAL VIDEO, PHOTOGRAPHY, DESIGN, ACTING PROJECTS AND VIRTUAL EVENTS, IN ADDITION TO MORE THAN 1,100 CLIENT PROJECTS. AUDIENCE MEMBERS OF WAYM YOUTH-PRODUCED MEDIA CONTINUED TO GROW THROUGH ONLINE ENGAGEMENT, MEDIA PUBLICATIONS, AND NEW PARTNERSHIPS, WITH OVER 4 MILLION ESTIMATED LIVE AND VIRTUAL AUDIENCE MEMBERS IN FY24.WAYM IMPLEMENTS A PATHWAY OF FREE PROGRAMMING THAT STARTS WITH INTRODUCTORY COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS AND LEADS TO ADVANCED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING. PROGRAMS STRUCTURES VARY BASED ON YOUTH NEEDS, TO INCLUDE IN-PERSON, HYBRID AND FULLY VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITIES IN FY24: COMMUNITY VOICES IS A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH (AGES 10-24) WITH CUSTOM INTRODUCTORY MEDIA WORKSHOPS, TAILORED TO THE NEEDS OF CITY SCHOOLS AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. BALTIMORE SPEAKS OUT IS A FREE INTRODUCTORY MEDIA MAKING AND CREATIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL SITES FOR YOUTH AGES 10-15.HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS ARE INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED MEDIA PRODUCTION PROGRAMS FOR BALTIMORE CITY AND COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN TRAINING AND DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING, RESEARCH SKILLS, STORYTELLING AND CREATIVE SKILLS BY PRODUCING SHORT ORIGINAL VIDEOS AND DESIGN CAMPAIGNS THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY.MEDIAWORKS IS AN INTENSIVE SUMMER WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM RUN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUTHWORKS. YOUTH (AGES 14-21) ARE EMPLOYED THROUGH THE BUILD YOUR BRAND INITIATIVE TO PARTICIPATE IN MEDIA ARTS AND COLLEGE AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING.YOUTH INTERNSHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS ALLOW YOUNG PROFESSIONALS (AGES 18-24) THE OPTION TO GAIN REAL-WORLD WORK EXPERIENCE AS PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME STAFF. THEY PARTICIPATE IN EITHER MEDIA PRODUCTION, DESIGN OR COMMUNICATIONS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRACKS. APPRENTICESHIPS ARE REGISTERED WITH THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND ARE OFFERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ARTS2WORK, WHICH IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF DEVELOPING MEDIA ARTS APPRENTICESHIPS NATIONALLY. WIDE ANGLE PRODUCTIONS, WAYM'S SOCIAL ENTERPRISE PROGRAM, PROVIDES MEDIA SERVICES FOR NONPROFITS, FOUNDATIONS, AND CORPORATIONS IN THE BALTIMORE REGION WHILE ALSO CREATING MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT FOR YOUTH APPRENTICES. WAYM STAFF ACT AS PROJECT MANAGERS, MENTORING APPRENTICES THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AND ENSURING THAT CLIENTS RECEIVE PROFESSIONAL QUALITY MEDIA PRODUCTS. PRODUCTION WORK SERVES AS A SOURCE OF SELF-SUSTAINING INCOME FOR WAYM TO SUPPORT ITS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING AFFORDABLE MEDIA SOLUTIONS FOR CLIENTS. CLIENTS IN FY24 INCLUDED: THE AFRO, BALTIMORE HOMECOMING, CASH CAMPAIGN OF MARYLAND, MARYLAND STATE ARTS COUNCIL, NBCUNIVERSAL CREATIVE IMPACT LAB, THE NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE, AND MANY OTHERS. EXAMPLES OF RECENT WORK CAN BE SEEN AT WWW.WIDEANGLEMEDIA.ORG/HIRE-US.FY24 PARTICIPANTS REFLECT THAT STUDENTS WHO SHARED THEIR DEMOGRAPHICS IDENTIFIED AS 78% BLACK, 1% MULTIRACIAL, 15% CAUCASIAN, 2% HISPANIC, 3% ASIAN, AND 1% AMERICAN INDIAN OR ALASKAN NATIVE. 97% OF ALL YOUTH PARTICIPANTS WITH DISCLOSED INFORMATION SELF-IDENTIFIED AS VERY LOW TO MODERATE HOUSEHOLD INCOME LEVEL, ATTENDED TITLE 1 SCHOOLS, AND/OR RESIDED IN ZIP CODES WITH LOW MEDIAN INCOMES, IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE ORGANIZATION'S GOAL TO ALLOCATE ITS RESOURCES TO HISTORICALLY MINORITIZED AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. (PLEASE NOTE - DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION IS NOT REQUIRED FOR YOUTH TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS). IN THE COMING YEAR, WIDE ANGLE WILL CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE ITS RESOURCES TO UPLIFT YOUTH VOICES; PROVIDE MEDIA ENGAGEMENT TO UNDER-INVESTED COMMUNITIES; HOLISTICALLY ENGAGE YOUTH; BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS, ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS, AND FEE-FOR-SERVICE CLIENTS; AND BROADEN ITS IMPACT THROUGH PROGRAMMING AND MORE INTENTIONAL SYSTEMS CHANGE WORK. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023 ("FY23"), WIDE ANGLE LAUNCHED A CAPITAL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN FOR ITS NEW HEADQUARTERS, A 9,000+ SQUARE FOOT EDUCATION AND MEDIA PRODUCTION FACILITY, WIDE ANGLES STUDIOS AT THE SERVICE CENTER. DOORS ARE PLANNED TO OPEN IN LATE FALL 2024, AND WILL SERVE 2,500+ PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS OVER THE FIRST FIVE YEARS. THE STUDIOS WILL ALLOW WIDE ANGLE TO EXPAND ITS WORKFORCE PROGRAMMING, DEEPEN ITS ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND ENGAGE A NEW GENERATION OF YOUNG MEDIA MAKERS.THROUGH FY24 EFFORTS, OVER $2 MILLION WAS RAISED TOWARDS THE CAMPAIGN, WITH $4.2 MILLION RAISED SINCE FY23, AND THE BALANCE TO BE RAISED IN FY25. WHILE EXPENDITURES INCREASED FROM FY23 TO FY24 FOR THE CAMPAIGN, THE LARGEST EXPENSES WILL HIT IN FY25.IN SPRING, 2024, WIDE ANGLE YOUTH MEDIA RECEIVED A $2M GRANT FROM FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND VIA MACKENZIE SCOTT'S YIELD GIVING GRANT. WIDE ANGLE'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS VOTED TO ALLOCATE THE FUNDS TO ADDRESS THREE STRATEGIC PRIORITY AREAS OVER FY24-FY26: 1) ADDRESS PROJECTED BUDGET GAPS; 2) ADVANCE STAFF COMPENSATION EQUITY AND CAPACITY HIRES; 3) FILL POTENTIAL CAPITAL BUDGET GAPS TO AVOID BRIDGE LOAN DEBT. IN THE INTERIM, THE RESOURCES ARE IN A FDIC INSURED SWEEP ACCOUNT GENERATING APPROXIMATELY 4% INTEREST ANNUALLY. THE BOARD WILL RESEARCH ADDITIONAL LOW-RISK INVESTMENT OPTIONS TO UTILIZE UNTIL THE FUNDS ARE APPLIED TO BUDGET NEEDS. ANY REMAINING RESOURCES WILL FUEL PRIORITIES OUTLINED IN WIDE ANGLE'S NEXT STRATEGIC PLAN (2027 LAUNCH). ALL OF OUR SUPPORTERS ARE MAKING WIDE ANGLE MORE ROBUST AND POISED FOR GROWTH AND INVESTMENT AS WE MOVE INTO OUR NEW STUDIOS IN FY25.