The Documentary History Project for Youth

film crew

The Documentary History Project for Youth is an annual after-school, weekend, and summertime digital media production workshop for middle and high school students. Each year, youth participants create short documentary films as a way to explore some aspect of the social, political, and cultural history of Philadelphia.

The Documentary History Project for Youth is made possible by support from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Independence Public Media Foundation, Hamilton Family Trust, Rosenlund Family Foundation, Christopher Ludwick Foundation, Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation, and Adobe.

Applications are now closed

MORE DETAILS:

Up to 15 young people will be accepted into the program. Participants will talk with scholars and experts, explore historical archives, and learn the basics of documentary filmmaking. Students gain solid skills in media production, including planning, scripting, camera and sound recording, video editing, and exposure to varied media production software – Adobe Premiere Pro (video editing), AfterEffects (titling & special effects), HTML (websites), and Audacity (sound editing). The Documentary History Project for Youth program helps young people learn about the process of studying and presenting history through archive research, field interviews, data collection and analysis, constructing narratives and fact-checking 

Awards
She Said: Art as Activism produced by Malaya Ulan through Scribe's Documentary History Project for Youth 2022

WHO IS ELIGIBLE:

Youth enrolled in grades 8 – 11. No prior video-making experience is necessary.

WHAT’S INVOLVED:

Interested applicants must be willing to commit to 5 hours per week during the school year and up to 10 hours per week in the summer. Participants are paid a stipend for their participation.

Two students filming
Seams of Society produced by Chelsea Maddred and Nadia Slocum through Scribe's Documentary History Project for Youth 2015

Order Documentary History Project for Youth DVDs!

protest sign Documentary History Project for Youth Vol. 1 - "Philadelphia's Youth In Action: Agents Of Change" Face Documentary History Project for Youth Vol. 2 - "Struggles In The Shadows: Philadelphia's Free African Youth" dance Documentary History Project for Youth Vol. 3 - "Todo El Mundo Dance" logo Documentary History Project for Youth Vol. 4 - "Something To Wear"