KITS Goes Back to School

Teens at Sun Valley High School have been doing great things since Kids in the Spotlight kicked off their first screenwriting session there several weeks ago. But this is not the first time KITS has brought its unique filmmaking program into the halls of academia.

While known for working on location at foster care group homes such as Hillsides in Pasadena and Maryvale in Rosemead, KIT's origins is actually in public schools. Way back in 2009, KITS made its debut at Henry Clay Middle School in Los Angeles and went on to serve the youngsters at Centennial High and Willowbrook Middle School in Compton.

Being at Sun Valley High is a happy irony as Kids in the Spotlight is currently working diligently toward the creation of the KITS Performing Arts and Residential Academy--the very first performing arts based boarding school for foster teens. A stable home and school life plus exceptional academic training can turn the tide for kids who are too often shifted from school to school.

The expressions on the faces of students as they delve into the world of storytelling never gets old. We are so excited to see what develops from the creative minds of the teens at Sun Valley when their scripts are produced into short films.

(Photos: Screenwriting instructor and KITS Program Director Ryan Gibson and students at Sun Valley High School put in the work.)

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