The AVIXA Foundation, the charitable arm of the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association, will host 140 students, educators, and community leaders from Southern California for an AV experience event at the newly renovated Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 12. Attendees will tour the Coliseum to get an up-close look at the new AV technology in action, from scoreboards to displays, and meet with AV professionals to learn about careers in the industry.
"It's so important to help young people visualize future career possibilities," said Joseph Valerio, program director, AVIXA Foundation. "At the Coliseum, students will see first-hand the vibrant experiences AV professionals create in their own community. Events like this are an essential part of the AVIXA Foundation's mission to showcase the exciting opportunities in the AV industry and help build more bridges from school to the workplace."
The 96-year-old stadium, home to the University of Southern California (USC) Trojans and Los Angeles Rams, recently underwent a $300 million renovation to bring it up to modern standards in preparation for its 100-year anniversary celebration in 2023 and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
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During the event's tour, attendees will explore the Coliseum's AV technology, including two LED displays measuring 26.5 feet high by 99.5 feet wide on the east side of the stadium, LED ribbon boards in the press box, a 6,000-square-foot LED scoreboard, and more. Students will also learn about careers in the AV industry from representatives for Atomos, Canon, Sony, Shure, and other companies.
The event will draw students from several Southern California school districts, including Bellflower Unified School District, Downey Unified School District, Fullerton Joint Union High School District, Huntington Beach Union High School District, and Newport Mesa Unified School District.
"As the director of college and career readiness for my district, I'm always looking for opportunities to connect our students with industry professionals, especially in the greater Los Angeles region, which is ripe with opportunities in this particular field," said John M. Harris of Downey Unified School District. "Events like this help students experience the real-world applications for everything they're learning in our schools' career and technical education pathways program and further cement their future career goals."
The L.A. Coliseum event is a collaboration between AVIXA, educational consultants/liaisons 2CPR Group and Bayha Group, creative agency Pier Collective, and event producer HIN Events.
"Together, we are shifting the paradigm of what is possible in public education by building awareness for career pathways in AV and production," said Kelly Mazanti, founder and CEO, Pier Collective. "This event facilitates connections between industry and education by bringing individuals together to share experiences, develop strategic partnerships, and build community."
"We're also excited to announce that in September, West Hills College Coalinga will begin offering a new introductory course called Audiovisual Essentials with AVIXA. Students from our partner high schools around California can enroll for free and earn college credit," said Angela Allison, co-founder, 2CPR Group. "This course is a valuable first step for students to build a foundation towards pursuing careers in AV."
