GUSD Gains a New Media Asset for Community Use Through CMAP TV

Christopher High School is realizing the dream of becoming a digital media and performing arts high school through a state-of-the-art new campus media connection. 
With space tight in its current home at Gavilan College, CMAP has found a new location at Christopher High School in Thursday’s unanimous vote by the Gilroy Unified School District Board of Trustees.

Over the past several years, CMAP TV has been bursting at the seams with new volunteers, youth programs, and increased local television and online programming. Now serving over 500 youth annually in two counties, CMAP has developed into a hands-on 21st Century job training program, production facility, and a community media center for youth and adults.

Among the services CMAP will provide at Christopher High to both youth and residents of southern Santa Clara and San Benito County, are a student job-training program using media and technology tools in collaboration with the CHS Digital Media Department, volunteerism and internship opportunities for students in the district, coverage of high school sports and community news, and access to all CMAP’s of high-definition cameras, lighting equipment, Mac laptops, ipads, flip cameras, editing stations, and television studio, after training and certification on each media tool. CMAP will continue to provide professional fee-based video production services for local non-profits, government agencies, businesses.
Bisbee is filled with inspiration about the opportunity to partner with GUSD, and to continue existing education programs at the new CHS location. “In this emerging world of digital media, CMAP is positioned to offer students of GUSD real-life 21st Century skills. Our media literacy programs provide a positive afterschool activity to local youth, teaching critical thinking skills, teamwork, communication, confidence, and self-expression.”

CMAP has been a pioneer in youth media programs and is currently a partner with the Zero Divide Foundation, training youth on Mozilla’s cutting edge tool, Popcorn, which combines the use of video production, web design, and digital storytelling.

The new CMAP location will also serve local residents, offering media and technology classes on digital storytelling, training on CMAP’s camera, lighting, and audio equipment, as well as claymation, studio and field production, sportscasting, Facebook and Twitter, and putting videos online. CMAP will also offer classes at its new downtown Gilroy location at 60 Fourth St, Suite 207, and at its Hollister location at 829 San Benito Street, Suite 200. Once trained, students and residents can become members to check out equipment and create their own television productions to air on CMAP’s online site, and via cable channels through Charter Cable and soon to be viewed by AT&T cable subscribers as well.

Bisbee said CMAP has plans to provide higher level educational training at the new location, including the possibility of providing professional Apple certification for graphic design, video production and web development. The organization will begin the move to CHS late this summer, holding a community grand opening event in the fall of 2012. In the meantime, CMAP will be open for business at Gavilan College through the fall.

About CMAP TV
CMAP is a non-profit, community media center serving the media and technology needs of residents of southern Santa Clara County and San Benito County through media education and training, civic engagement, and access to media and technology equipment. CMAP has aired thousands of local media programs online and on its cable channels for public, educational, and for government access (Charter Channels 17, 18, 19, and 20). CMAP's channels stream live online at www.cmap.tv.

CMAP Hollister Office
829 San Benito Street
Suite 200
Hollister, CA 95023
831.205.1320Email: sanbenitocmap@gmail.com

CMAP Gilroy Offices
5055 Santa Teresa Blvd L-139
Gilroy, CA 95020
408.846.4983Email: info@cmap.tv

60 Fourth St Suite 207
Gilroy, CA 95020
Email: kathy@cmap.tv