Boys & Girls Club members' designs on display

Members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of West Central Missouri plan to display full-page magazine advertisements in the main lobby of US Bank from Monday through Jan. 15.

According to a Boys & Girls Clubs news release, the display is part of the club’s National Photo Tech Competition. The “Be Creative” Photo Tech competition required members to design magazine ads to motivate their peers to “be great.” The ads will be judged in two age categories, ages 10 through 12 and ages 13 through 15, by local representatives from ABC Advertising, Callis & Associates and Art & Graphic Designers Service. The winners at the local level will advance to the Midwest regional competition. All regional winners will then advance to the national competition where the winning entry could be used in a future Boys & Girls Clubs of America publication.

Kelsey Neiman, of Cole Camp, Morgan Hetrick, of Green Ridge, and Antonio Evans, of Leeton, were all chosen to compete at the local level.

Photo Tech is a Club program that incorporates interactive courseware designed to teach the fundamentals of digital photography and photo editing. According to the news release, club members are able to build their technological skills by exploring the world of photography and following a hands-on curriculum.

While participating in Photo Tech Club, members have the opportunity to take digital photos, examine the effects of distance and angle, and learn about photo composition. They also learn digital photo manipulation, from basic photo editing tasks, such as cropping and adjusting color and light, to advanced projects that require image filters and layering, such as creating CD cover art or photographic hoaxes.

“Digital cameras are very common these days and with Photo Tech we are teaching our kids how to use them appropriately, discover their inner artist while opening their eyes to a possible career path,”  Boys & Girls Clubs of West Central Missouri’s Executive Director Brett Barth-Fagan said. “By taking them step-by-step through fun and engaging projects, members develop tech skills they will need to succeed in school and the workplace.”

Club members also have access to four other Digital Arts Suite programs:  Web Tech which teaches the basics of Web site development and design; Design Tech instructs on the fundamentals of graphic design and desktop publishing; Movie Tech coaches script writing and digital movie making skills; and Music Tech introduces youth to the world of electronic music production.

“To succeed in today’s technology-driven world, digital literacy skills are key and almost always expected,” said Roxanne Spillett, president and CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “Through the Club Tech program we’re bridging the digital divide and giving all kids of various ages and backgrounds the opportunity to explore technology in ways they never imagined possible.”