SLAM: A Showcase of Student Photos and Animation From Fall 2010

In these days of slashed school budgets, many public high schools are lucky to even have a photography class. Not . Thanks to forward-thinking faculty, a fundraising-savvy school board and caring voters, the school's multimedia program is thriving.

The San Leandro Academy for Multimedia, or SLAM, is one of several schools within the school, offering a curriculum in the digital arts to some 120 students. During the three-year program, students learn digital photography, animation, video production and more. They also take social studies and English classes within the program and craft multimedia projects that put that their knowledge to work. 

"The best part about the project is that students have a place at school that they can call home," said Anthony Farley, who teaches computer science and photography at SLAM. "They can feel comfortable, be accepted and also be creative at the same time."

When the high school's Arts Education Center – funded by Measure B bond money – opens this spring, SLAM will be getting some downright professional facilities. Four of the building's classrooms are assigned to SLAM, two of which will be outfitted for multimedia work with 30 brand new MacBook Pro computers.

SLAM will also have a television studio and two audio recording rooms in the arts building. Automated cameras in the building's 550-seat theater will be hooked up to the studio so that events can be taped and even streamed live. 

San Leandro Patch will be showcasing SLAM student work each month. Check out some of the best photography, animation and video from the Fall 2010 semester. You can see more SLAM student work on their web forum.