De’Jai Hunter, 15, is the kind of multifaceted creative kid who enjoys taking on new and different projects. So when he saw a social media post about Project Communications, a paid summer program through The Boys’ Club of New York, he decided to jump on it.
Hunter was already active in photography, music and drawing but had no experience in graphic design or communications. But within just five weeks, he was designing promotional items for Harlem Week and Nelson Mandela Day, helping to produce a short film, designing a T-shirt for the group’s participants and more.
Though he already thought of himself as creative, the program “allowed me to see a clearer vision of what I wanted” in designs, Hunter told the Bronx Times.
Project Communications brought together a group of eight high school students from across New York City to gain real-world experience in graphic design, multimedia work, presentation skills and more.
The students grew close over the course of the program, said Hunter. Each person brought a different skill set to the table, whether editing, drawing, public speaking, music or writing, and everyone was willing to help each other out, said Hunter, who described his colleagues as “cool people to be around.”
Hunter grew up in the South Bronx but now lives near Yonkers. Most of his family lives in the Bronx, and Hunter said he gains inspiration from the large Jamaican community near his home, from the music scene and even from people at the deli, where “everybody knows everybody.”
Throughout the Project Communications program, Hunter had the opportunity to flex his creative muscles on new types of work, including a short film called “Flight,” a randomly-assigned title that the group was tasked with building a story around.
They created a one-minute film depicting a bored office worker who makes a paper airplane as he daydreams about escaping his job — then has his dreams squelched by a demanding boss. As production manager, Hunter selected shots and music for the story, his first exploration into filmmaking.
The group also had a visit from New York Times bestselling author Fredrick Joseph, who read from his collection of poetry, “We Alive, Beloved,” and spoke to the group about his journey as an artist and writer.
Joseph offered the students an additional stipend and personalized feedback on an art piece under the theme “What Storytelling Means To Me.” Hunter said his piece, depicting a young man drawing at his desk surrounded by colorful characters from a fantasy world, was one of his favorite pieces of the summer.
After the intensive five weeks and an Aug. 8 showcase of the group’s work, Hunter said the program was especially meaningful as he continues to explore his creative side through high school.
“It was hard work but not unbearable” — and it was “very easy to connect with people,” Hunter said.
Project Communications is just one of the summer programs offered by The Boys’ Club of New York. It also offers real-world learning opportunities in fields such as sports coaching, tutoring and mentoring, lifeguarding and information technology. For more information, see www.bcny.org.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
