MTI students to help children explore arts & technology

(Bradenton, FL—March 19, 2014)

Students from Manatee Technical Institute’s SkillsUSA Chapter are hosting an Arts and Technology Day for Voluntary Pre-K students on Friday, March 21, 2014. The MTI students are in Digital Design, Web Development, Digital Video Production and Baking & Pastry Arts. The VP-K students attend the Children’s Academy in Bradenton.

The four- and five-year olds will draw on Wacom Tablets and see the process from creative to computer to printer in Digital Design. They will decorate cupcakes in Baking & Pastry Arts, do animation books in Web Development, and learn about how to make a movie in Digital Video Production. They will take home their work and photos of their day.

“This project means a lot to me for a few reasons,” says Web Development student Andrew Cerquozzi. “I have a three-year-old son and a three-month-old daughter, and I want to utilize the skills I learn here to make a better community and environment for my little ones.

This project gives us the opportunity to affect the lives of a younger generation, and possibly get them involved in a brighter future.”

The MTI students have created this Arts and Technology Day as a SkillsUSA community service project. SkillsUSA promotes excellence, employability skills, and ethics to students in career and technical education to better prepare them for successful careers.

“What my team goal is…to give the kids something to look forward to accomplishing…and show the kids different courses in various digital media and artistic fields…” says another student, Andrew Channell. “This is a great opportunity for us to give back to our community… better our skills and better the world around us.”

The MTI students have done other community service projects for the Academy including producing a book, cards, brochures and website. The Children’s Academy provides child care for children of the working poor.