Students from California State University, Fresno and the Fresno High Marketing Academy gained real-world experience while helping CVAF produce Lights On Afterschool 2009.

Three outstanding students from Betsy Hays’ introductory Mass Communications-Journalism (MCJ) class conducted their service learning projects at CVAF by helping with the dance competition, the K-12 festival and sponsor coordination.

Concurrently, three senior MCJ students were awarded paid internships to coordinate media, business partnerships and the student art auction. The internship helped two of the students secure excellent marketing-communications jobs upon graduation.

At Fresno High School, the Fresno High Marketing Academy chose the Lights On Afterschool Sidewalk Chalk Art Competition as their senior class project.

Twenty students in Mrs. Delaine Zody’s class worked with CVAF to learn how to:

• plan an event
• Skype an expert resource
• secure sponsorships
• promote an event
• coordinate judging and awards
• coordinate logistics
• work with broadcast media
• work as a team
• apply marketing skills
• execute an event-day schedule

Marketing Academy students were able to place this excellent experience in their professional portfolio.

Students and teams are now being considered for summer events and Lights On Afterschool 2011 in the fall.