Portola High School alumna selected for Television Academy Foundation internship
Portola High School alumna Cecilia Mou has been selected for the prestigious Television Academy Foundation Fall Internship Program. She is one of just nine students chosen by Television Academy members from across the country for the 2023 fall program.
The foundation’s Fall Internship Program provides 13-week part-time paid internships at top Hollywood studios and production companies to college students nationwide.
Mou, a sophomore at USC majoring in film and television production, will be a production management intern at Disney Branded Television in Burbank this fall.
Mou credits her sixth grade teacher for inspiring her to seek a career in television.
“(She) once gave me full creative freedom on a history project we had due in class (and) suggested that I create a video to practice my media literacy — and that one project spiraled into a love of filmmaking,” Mou said. “By simply giving someone the freedom creatively, she inspired years of love and dedication to the craft of storytelling within me.
“I am incredibly excited to get the rare opportunity to work alongside professionals of the highest caliber as well as learn from the endless amount of mentors fostered by the Television Academy Foundation,” she added. “There is no limit to the amount of valuable experience, relationships and skills you can learn with this program.”
The internship program also provides professional development sessions and customized seminars covering personal brand-building and navigating the job market ahead for participating students. Interns also become lifelong members of the foundation’s alumni family, giving them access to events and networking opportunities as they build their careers in the industry.
The Television Academy Foundation shapes the art of creating television by engaging and educating the next generation of television professionals, providing essential resources that help them discover their voices, refine their skills and forge rewarding careers in every sector of the television industry.
The internship program annually provides students from across the nation with hands-on work experience, mentorships and opportunities for accelerated career development in more than 30 industry disciplines.
– Submitted by the Television Academy Foundation
Foothill High School students win Dragon Kim Foundation’s Dragon Challenge
A one-week STEM camp that offered a basic foundation in science with hands-on chemistry experience and engineering projects to children living in under-resourced areas of Orange County was selected from four finalists as the winner of the Dragon Kim Foundation’s 2023 “Shark Tank”-style Dragon Challenge.
The teens behind the winning project they called Creative Labs are Foothill High School students Carson Ly and Robert Padilla, both of Tustin. Their camps were held this summer at Boys & Girls Clubs, Jamboree Housing and The Mix Academy. As winners, they received an additional $5,000 to continue their community service project.
“I always knew I wanted to do something to help my community, but I never knew what I would do or how I would do it. Fortunately, I found chemistry, and my passion for the subject has allowed me to set guidelines for future goals,” Carson said. “Winning the Dragon Challenge has made me realize that I can expand my horizons and explore more options, knowing I have what it takes to achieve success.”
Robert said: “Before the Dragon Kim Foundation, I was very shy and had little ambition, never knowing where my calling was. I found what makes me happiest thanks to the foundation. Somehow at every single training weekend, I learned something new about myself or acquired a new life skill. The foundation was a life-changing experience for me.”
The Dragon Challenge caps the 2023 Dragon Kim Fellowship program of the Dragon Kim Foundation, an Orange County-based nonprofit whose mission is to inspire youths to impact their communities while discovering and pursuing their passions.
This year marks the eighth anniversary of the foundation, whose fellowship program empowers high school students of all demographics and social backgrounds to go out into the world and make a difference in the lives of others, especially those who are disadvantaged.
Annually, the fellowship program awards community service grants of up to $5,000 to the teams that enables them to create and manage a service project that will impact their community.
The four finalists were chosen from the 47 fellowship projects run this summer by 80 high school students in Arizona, California and Nevada. Together, the projects directly impacted 10,874 individuals and empowered 815 volunteers to contribute to the fellows’ vision and cause.
Garden Grove teacher named finalist for Bill of Rights Institute’s National Civics Teacher of the Year
Sean Redmond, a teacher from Bolsa Grande High School in Garden Grove, is a finalist for the Bill of Rights Institute’s prestigious National Civics Teacher of the Year award.
This year’s finalists represent 10 states and every region of the country. Redmond was selected after a nationwide search that encouraged educators, students, parents and community members to submit outstanding civics teachers for consideration. All nominees submitted essays highlighting the role of civics educators in helping students live the ideals of a free and just society.
Although he didn’t win the top spot, as a finalist, Redmond earned a $1,000 prize from the Bill of Rights Institute.
– Submitted by Bill of Rights Institute
The Bravo! section highlights achievements of our residents and groups. Send news of achievements for consideration to ocrbravo@gmail.com.
