Press Release: El Raton Media Works Receives Grant to Expand Youth Coding League in Raton, NM
RIS Coder Creating Video Sprint Instructions for Spring Semester
Raton, NM, December 20, 2024 - El Raton Media Works is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a $5,000 Community Based Grant from The Encantado Foundation to expand the Youth Coding League (YCL) at Raton Intermediate School. This funding will empower 5th and 6th graders in the rural community of Raton to explore coding and technology careers through an innovative after-school program.
As a nonprofit dedicated to building workforce skills in media arts and technology, El Raton Media Works is committed to fostering career opportunities for youth and adults in Colfax County. The organization’s mission to empower the community aligns perfectly with the goals of the YCL, which provides invaluable access to the fundamentals of coding and computer science within a dynamic, industry-informed, and competitive environment. By providing foundational coding skills, this program offers students pathways to high-tech skills and encourages local talent to thrive.
The Encantado Foundation's Community Based Grant award will allow El Raton Media Works to continue YCL programming at Raton Intermediate after a successful pilot season, which was recently completed by students in the fall semester, with six students ranking in the top half nationally and the team ranking the highest in New Mexico. Stacy Dohogne Lane, Youth Coding League Director, said "Myself and my teammate Liza were thrilled to get to work with El Raton Media Works and their local school community in the Fall of 2024. Their coders and coaches were engaged and ready to excel on day one, and they even helped us generate coder-led educational videos for next season using their unique expertise in video production.”
The Community Based Grant will fund two semesters of the Youth Coding League, covering costs for coaching, team T-shirts, headphones, gear, and prizes for outstanding participants. Students will engage in hands-on coding activities and compete nationally, gaining critical problem-solving and technical skills. "Our goal is to increase access to STEM learning opportunities and build awareness about career pathways in STEM through the Community Based Grant funding program. El Raton Media Works' partnership with Raton Intermediate School and the Youth Coding League aligns with the goals of the Foundation's community grant program and helps amplify our digital workforce development mission, serving Central and Northern New Mexico," said Louis Jeantete, Executive Director of The Encantado Foundation.
Geneva Sandoval, RIS After School/Enrichment Coordinator, said about the fall team, “They did not want it to end and have voiced that they will be returning. I love the ease of how they were able to jump right into the coding concepts, build up their computer skills and work collaboratively with other students and coaches. Students designed and implemented their coding concepts each week as they built their projects. Not only did their self confidence grow but so did their enjoyment of competing. We can’t wait to continue competing and implement what they do in the world of coding!”
"Career options are often limited in rural areas, leading many young people to leave for opportunities elsewhere," said Ann Theis, Founder and Executive Director of El Raton Media Works. "By expanding the Youth Coding League, we aim to inspire local students to dream big and prepare for careers in technology, and give them remote-work career options as access to technology and broadband in our community grows."
To learn more about the YCL program at El Raton Media Works and how to sign up your 5th and 6th grader, visit: www.elratonmediaworks.org/youth-coding-league-raton
To learn more about about the organizations listed in this announcement, visit:
www.youthcodingleague.com
www.theencantadofoundation.org
About El Raton Media Works
El Raton Media Works (ERMW) is a nonprofit Arts2Work workforce development and career opportunity hub serving Colfax County and surrounding areas. The organization empowers the community to thrive in a technology and media-driven world by providing access to tools, training, and careers in media arts and production. ERMW is committed to promoting community engagement, creative self-expression, and life and career skills for youth and adults, offering a range of community workshops, after-school programs, and Dual Credit Film Certificate classes credited through Santa Fe Community College.
