Summer Camp Updates, 2025
A daily look at camp activities: July 6-11, 2025
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Broadcast Journalism
Monday, July 7
Yesterday, our campers got settled in by reviewing camp goals and expectations, getting to know one another, and exploring campus during a guided walking tour. They also dove into their first camera workshop, learning the basics behind the lens!
Today, we’re building on that momentum with more hands-on camera practice, brainstorming story ideas and having some great conversations about careers in media. We can’t wait to see the creativity unfold!
Campers got to meet Assistant Dean Gary Abdullah this morning for a quick hello and learn about creating engaging and supportive communities. Stay tuned for more updates throughout the week!
Tuesday, July 8
Yesterday afternoon, campers continued building their skills during an in-depth camera and audio training session, followed by a writing workshop to help shape their storytelling. Later in the day, they brainstormed and researched story ideas in preparation for this week’s projects. In the evening, they heard from a panel of professionals about careers in TV and media which was a great opportunity to ask questions and gain insight into the industry.
Today, campers are heading out into the field! This morning, they’re visiting the Penn State Student Farm to gather footage and conduct interviews for their news story. After lunch, they’ll be back in the studio to learn about anchoring and practice delivering stories on camera. Campers were also joined by Julie Miller, manager of internships in the Bellisario College, who spoke with campers about the importance of real-world experience. She shared how the college supports students in building strong professional foundations and prepares them to successfully navigate careers in the film and television industry.
Tonight, they’ll enjoy dinner and a State College Spikes baseball game at Medlar Field. It’s shaping up to be a fun and full day!
Wednesday, July 9
Lights, camera, confidence! Campers were working hard yesterday afternoon with an exciting anchoring session in the studio. Afterward, they headed to Medlar Field for dinner and an evening of fun at the State College Spikes game, soaking up the energy of a perfect summer night.
Today, it's all about field work and storytelling! Campers grabbed their gear, made a coverage game plan, and hit the Children & Youth Day at the Arts Fest to film their first stories. Campers are hard at work in the editing lab, shaping their footage into polished TV packages. Tonight, they’ll be writing scripts and fine-tuning their pieces like pros.
These young journalists are learning fast and telling great stories—stay tuned for more!
Film Production
Monday, July 7
We're rolling into an exciting week of storytelling and creativity!
Yesterday, our film campers kicked things off by getting to know one another and taking a tour of campus. They also reviewed the different roles on a film set and the rules of production which has helped to set the stage for a productive and collaborative experience.
Today, they’re getting hands-on with equipment training, exploring shot grammar and composition, and working through a film portrait exercise to sharpen their visual storytelling skills.
A special highlight this morning: Campers had the chance to meet Assistant Dean Gary Abdullah, who shared a warm welcome and spoke about the importance of building engaging and supportive creative communities.
We’re excited to see the stories these young filmmakers will bring to life!
Tuesday, July 8
Yesterday was a hands-on and creative day for our film production campers. They started with equipment training in the morning, learning how to handle cameras and gear like pros. In the afternoon, they put their new skills to work filming a portrait exercise, an introduction to visual storytelling focused on capturing a subject’s essence. After backing up footage and reviewing their work, they wrapped up the evening with lessons on shot composition and the basics of editing for both documentaries and narratives.
Today, campers are diving into post-production with training on Adobe Premiere Pro, followed by dedicated editing time to refine their portrait projects. Campers were also joined by Julie Miller, manager of internships in the Bellisario College, who spoke with campers about the importance of real-world experience. She shared how the college supports students in building strong professional foundations and prepares them to successfully navigate careers in the film and television industry.
This afternoon, they’ll screen each other’s work, then shift focus to directing and covering narrative scenes. They'll also begin planning their next big assignment, the Misunderstanding Project. They will start by outlining the story and assigning roles. The day ends with a fun movie night to relax and get inspired!
Wednesday, July 9
Tuesday was all about storytelling through the lens! Campers explored the art of narrative scene direction, coverage, and point of view, then jumped into planning their first creative challenge, the Misunderstanding Project. With roles assigned and scenarios mapped out, they capped the day with a relaxing movie night to unwind and get inspired.
Today, the action kicked into high gear! After breakfast, campers geared up and hit the set to film their Misunderstanding Projects, applying real-world production skills as directors, actors, camera operators, and more. After lunch, it was time to edit their footage and bring their stories to life, followed by a fun screening of everyone’s projects.
They will wrap up the day with a look ahead at final projects and a production meeting to start planning the next big shoot. This crew is bringing serious creativity to the screen!
Social Media and Content Creator
Monday, July 7
Camp is officially underway, and our storytellers are already diving into the creative process!
Yesterday, campers reviewed camp goals and expectations and took part in a camera basics workshop to prepare for the exciting week ahead.
Today started bright and early as the group headed to Bellefonte in search of inspiration and story ideas. Throughout the day, they’ll explore how to develop compelling characters, deconstruct a story, and learn the fundamentals of building strong narratives from the ground up.
We can’t wait to see the stories they discover and create!
Tuesday, July 8
Campers spent most of the day yesterday developing their own content. The afternoon continued with hands-on workshops focused on key social media and content creation skills. In the evening, campers explored campus while gathering.
Today, they’re building on those skills with more campus content gathering and workshops. Campers were also joined by Julie Miller, manager of internships in the Bellisario College, who spoke with campers about the importance of real-world experience. She shared how the college supports students in building strong professional foundations and prepares them to successfully navigate careers in the film and television industry.
This afternoon, the group will visit the Penn State All-Sports Museum to explore new creative angles for content, before heading to a State College Spikes baseball game this evening. Yet another opportunity to create and share engaging content in a dynamic setting!
Tuesday took our content creators on an inspiring trip through Penn State’s All-Sports Museum, where they captured behind-the-scenes moments and sports history in action. Then it was off to the Spikes game for some classic summer vibes and great content opportunities under the stadium lights!
Today was a full-on creator’s dream day! Campers started with a content planning session before heading to the vibrant Children & Youth Day at the Arts Festival to gather footage. This afternoon and evening have been all about editing and crafting their stories, turning festival fun into polished, share-worthy content.
Stay tuned for some amazing creativity coming your way!
Visual Storytelling
Monday, July 7
We kicked off camp yesterday with some awesome icebreakers and a fun social media movie night to set the vibe for the week!Today is packed with inspiration and creativity. Campers are:
- Meeting the Penn State social media team
- Visiting Happy Valley LaunchBox
- Connecting with Justin Leusner of TDAY Sports
- Diving into a content creator skills workshop
They also had a quick morning meet-and-greet with Assistant Dean Gary Abdullah, who shared some insight on building engaging and supportive communities which is a key part of being a great content creator!
And of course, no Penn State visit is complete without a sweet stop. Campers will head to the Berkey Creamery for a well-earned ice cream break!
Stay tuned, the content (and the fun) is just getting started!
Tuesday, July 8
Yesterday afternoon, campers took their creativity on the road with a hands-on camera and storytelling exercise at a local thrift store in Bellefonte. Using what they learned in the camera workshop, they explored how everyday objects can inspire compelling visual stories. Back at the Bellisario Media Center, they brainstormed story ideas, researched concepts, and mapped out story arcs. In the evening, they focused on the art of storytelling by reading children’s books, creating original characters, and learning how films are built from the ground up through deconstruction and discussion.
Today, the focus shifts to portraits and action. Campers started the morning with a walk to Medlar Field for a location-based portrait workshop, where they practiced capturing people and environments in a storytelling context. Campers were also joined by Julie Miller, manager of internships in the Bellisario College, who spoke with campers about the importance of real-world experience. She shared how the college supports students in building strong professional foundations and prepares them to successfully navigate careers in the film and television industry. After lunch, they’ll dive into a sports action workshop to learn techniques for filming movement and energy on the field.
Tonight, they’ll return to Medlar Field to put their new skills into practice at the State College Spikes baseball game, combining portrait and action storytelling in a dynamic, real-world setting.
Wednesday, July 9
Tuesday was all about capturing the thrill of the game! Campers sharpened their skills in a sports action photography workshop, then headed to Medlar Field to shoot the State College Spikes game where they froze fast-paced moments and stadium energy through their lenses. Talk about a home run for creativity!
Today, the focus turned to editing and expression. Campers dove into Photoshop and Premiere Pro, then hit the streets of the Arts Festival to capture compelling features and vibrant street photography during Children and Youth Day. The evening wrapped with editing sessions and Q&A, as campers polished their work and explored the power of post-production.
These visual storytellers are seeing the world in bold new ways, and it shows in every frame
