Imagining new media at the Waterloo Career Center

With instructors Matt Dunkerton and Todd Kern, Waterloo Career Center (WCC) students have found their very own catalyst for curiosity.

Classes such as desktop publishing, video production, and drawing & composition, help students get a well-rounded view of the creative process. According to Kern, knowing how things are made, allows students to ideate and conceptualize their own future creative endeavors.

"I treat them more like young designers than adolescent students," said Kern, digital graphics instructor. "When they leave here they know what they're doing, and have the tools and confidence to go out and achieve it."

According to Dunkerton, hands-on experience and real-world client work help students see the creative industry's big picture of possibilities. And, with the recent addition of Adobe certifications, students can emerge from the program with tangible resume entries and comparative portfolios to share with potential employers.

"We offer students a peak behind the curtain on how their favorite digital media is made," said Dunkerton, interactive media instructor. "The longer I teach, the more I'm convinced teaching is simply taking out the question of how."

At the WCC students are challenged to take charge of their own journey, finding projects and processes they want to pursue, and then working alongside their instructors to create something meaningful. In 2022, video production students were able to plan, film, produce, and edit professional-grade promotional videos for Leader Valley . The class intends to create an entire video series this year in collaboration with Grow Cedar Valley .

In the graphics arena, students are gaining first-hand experience in client management while photographing and designing the 2023 Waterloo basketball team poster. Kern says seeing their work posted around the school has been a rewarding experience for his students.

"So much of what goes on in our room comes direct from industry experts and business partners within the community," said Kern. "No other school in the state is offering the certifications and experience we are at the high school level."

WCC alumnus Cole Kelley says the freedom of exploration within the school was the key to finding his passion in video production.

"They were all very open to listening to ideas, always helping inspire students to create," said Kelley. "It was after that class that I knew this is what I wanted to do."

Kelley is one of many students who have gone on to explore further in the creative industry. Other alumni have branched into clothing design, freelancing, video game design, and digital media. Wherever students aim to land, WCC instructors Kern and Dunkerton are ready and eager to help catalyze their potential, helping students discover their own passions along the way.