Majestic Pre-College Digital Journalism Program for High Schoolers at UCLA in Los Angeles

Lesson Plan

**Morning or Full Day: **

Digital Journalism:UCLA

This course is designed for those who want to write, meet people who make a difference and tell the world about it. You’re interested in music and the arts, travel, concerned about the planet’s future and committed to social equality. Join the workshop led by journalist and author Richard Andrews: “The ability to put a few words together, run an interview and shoot some pics has taken me from piranha fishing on the Amazon and Borneo rainforests to Fortune 100 boardrooms and Beijing’s Forbidden City – dining with presidents and rock stars along the way.” Now living in a former vineyard outside Montreal, Richard writes travel and conservation articles for magazines around the world. During the workshop, he’ll work with you to research, write and pitch a story for publication. Guest speakers and a field trip to NPR station KCRW are also scheduled.

Typical Weekday Schedule

Choose either a full-day track option or a morning and afternoon course. Your personal schedule and lunch time may vary based on your course choices.

Option 1: Morning & Afternoon Courses

• 8:00 AM Wake Up
• 8:30 AM Breakfast
• 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM Digital Journalism
• 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM Lunch
• 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM Digital Journalism
• 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM Free Time (sports, fitness center, free time, special activities)
• 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Dinner
• 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM Evening Activities

Option 2: Full-day Track

• 8:00 AM Wake Up
• 8:30 AM Breakfast
• 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM Digital Journalism
• 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM Lunch
• 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM** Electives ( Below)**
• 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM Free time (sports, fitness center, free time, special activities)
• 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Dinner
• 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM Evening Activities

Afternoon Electives

• Business Entrepreneurship: This intensive hands-on entrepreneurship program focuses on all facets of business plan development. Learn to assess the competitive entrepreneurial environment, develop a venture concept and growth strategies, create marketing approaches, build a cohesive management team, launch operations and develop financial projections. During the program, participants work as a team to create a business and on the final day, each team presents their business plan and participates in a friendly “shark tank” type competition.
• **Social Media Marketing: **This course looks at the channels of marketing, advertising and communication that make up social media platforms, exploring how these tools fit into a company’s integrated marketing strategy. Using real-world examples from large corporations and small businesses, students explore how marketing professionals embrace online social networks, user-generated content and content sharing to create brand awareness. Learn tips and techniques to successfully leverage your own social media marketing.
• **Stock Market & Investment Analysis: **Before you invest in the stock market, it’s important you understand the basics of finance, the components of an investment portfolio and the underlying mechanics of the markets. This course gives you a detailed overview of investing in the stock market and offers you many tools and techniques needed to invest. Practice by investing in a simulated stock market competition.
• **Psychology of Human Behavior: **This course introduces basic concepts in psychology including behavioral, cognitive and clinical psychology. Through the use of discussion, film and in-class activities, explore topics such as how to improve emotional intelligence, limitations in perception, cognitive distortions and how to improve memory. Other topics included are mental illness, stereotyping and prejudice.
• **Social Justice & Human Rights Forum: **Climate change, bans on religious freedoms, racial injustice, gender-based violence… the list of human rights violations, and social and ecological injustices are seemingly endless in the world around us. Join this forum on social justice and human rights where we will explore a number of topics through a systems-thinking lens to examine why and how unequal distributions of rights and freedoms manifest. We will also consider our personal identities, positions and power within these systems challenging our ideas of how to make positive social change in the world in which we live. This forum will involve participant discussion.
• **Community Service: L.A.: **Perform meaningful service in the communities in and around LA as an Afternoon Course option. Projects are finalized in the spring, and those currently planned involve several days working with the children at a youth club and helping to maintain and beautify gardens in local schools with Enrich LA. A letter recognizing the hours of service and detailing the projects accomplished will be issued after the summer. *Students must be 16 years old by June 25, 2022 in order to choose this option.
• **Cooking: L.A. Gourmet Experience: **From learning basic knife skills to creating succulent dishes, if you are a foodie, this course is for you! Whether you’re creating gourmet entrées or delicious desserts, this course is guaranteed to make you salivate. Our expert chef will help you develop technical skills in the kitchen in this hands-on culinary experience, where each class focuses on a different theme. You even get to take away a book full of mouth-watering recipes you helped prepare! * A supplementary fee of $220 applies.
• **Digital Photography L.A: **There are few better places to master the art of photography than in the bright and sunny city of L.A. With your smartphone or digital camera in hand, this photography course will teach various digital photography techniques including imaging scanning, color digital printing, printing digital negatives, basic darkroom techniques and Adobe Photoshop. Creativity mixes with practical skills and culminates in an individual final photography project completed by the end of the course.
• **Independent Workout: **Plan your workout regimen including weight training and cardio to help meet your fitness goals.
• **Surfing: **Want to hang ten and ride the waves like a pro? This course heads to Santa Monica Beach where you learn how to improve balance and technique and perfect your form in no time. All levels of ability are welcome. * A supplementary fee of $220 applies.
• **TOEFL Prep: UCLA: **This course is designed for non-native English-speaking students interested in attending an English-speaking college or university and to help prepare for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Thousands of schools worldwide rely on TOEFL scores to assist in admission decisions. Imagine the possibilities this test opens up to you as it demonstrates you have the English language skills necessary for an academic classroom. Our instructors guide you and offer you test-taking strategies, help you familiarize yourself with the test, and allow you to practice all sections of the exam. *A supplementary fee of $220 applies
• **3D Game Design with Unity: **Are you ready to take your game design skills to another level? With Unity, an industry-grade design software, aspiring game designers will learn level editing, 3D modeling, impactful gameplay creation, as well as how to utilize scripts and variables. Student-created games will be available on a password-protected Black Rocket website to share with friends and family. *Participants will be required to bring a laptop compatible with MAC or Windows OS and a 64-bit operating system (cannot use Chrome OS).
• **Crime Scene Investigation: CSI Los Angeles: **Experience the world of forensic science through hands-on training exercises and theoretical lessons. Examine CSI procedures along with forensic anthropology, biology and bloodstain pattern analysis. A scenario is staged and you work in investigative teams to identify, collect and interpret the evidence before you act as a forensic expert witness and testify in a mock-court setting.
• **SAT Prep: **Improve your SAT performance by becoming a better test taker. Learn exclusive strategies in small classroom settings. Your instructor will help you master the test through in-class practice, drills and test reviews. You will better understand math, critical reading and writing concepts tested on the exams and your instructor will teach proven test-taking techniques. In addition to your course, you get the following materials and extras: Talented, dynamic instructor and proven methods and strategies-Diagnostic Exams, with detailed computer analysis of the results-Course Material and Workbooks * A supplementary fee of $595 applies for SAT Prep.

What It’s Like

Experience college life with the balance of engaging courses, group excursions, and free time.

Certificate of Completion

Receive a letter certifying the completion of your courses. Letters of recommendation are also available.

Exclusive Classes

All classes on this program are private to Westcoast Connection students.

Engaging Instructors

Courses taught by experienced university-level faculty, instructors, and local professionals