“Creative incubator” gives hands-on experiences

Although the Harlingen school district’s the new Media Arts and Communications Academy opened with the start of the school year, officials introduced it to the community at a ceremony this week.

HCISD Superintendent Art Cavazos said the academy serves as “a creative incubator to inspire students” who are considering a future in the field.

The academy teaches classes in television, radio and graphics arts production. It is housed in a portion of the former Memorial Middle School on 13th Street. In addition to classrooms, the band hall was transformed into a television studio.

Students will cover school and community events for broadcast on the district’s television station. They will shoot, write and edit stories as well as produce video projects and short movies. The district spent approximately $300,000 on the renovation.

Students will have the opportunity to earn certifications as a television or radio operator as well as in graphics and production software.

The Media Arts and Communications Academy is one of six being introduced in the Harlingen school system. Other academies include Health Science; Firefighter; Transportation, Distribution and Logistics; Teaching; and Apprenticeship.

The academy program is designed to expose students to “high demand career tracks,” Cavazos said, allowing them to “get right into the space they most desire.”