Duane P. Pierre is an instructor for Central Connecticut State University’s (CCSU) Tech It Out summer youth enrichment program. During his time as an instructor with Tech It Out, Mr. Pierre has taught several classes in video and music production to middle and high school students. Mr. Pierre is also the Founder and Executive Director of ParaDYM Academy and the media production teacher at the Journalism and Media Academy in Hartford.
Mr. Pierre’s connection with CCSU goes beyond the Tech It Out summer program. He is also a CCSU alum and community partner with CCSU’s Office of Community Engagement, TRiO and the Institute for Municipal Research and Policy. He has worked with CCSU to bring media literacy and media production programs to local middle and high school students through his non-profit, ParaDYM Academy. Tech It Out allows Mr. Pierre to continue his non-profit’s mission for students in the summer, bringing local youth together from across Connecticut.
Mr. Pierre feels his time at CCSU has taught him the value of a blended learning environment and the power of community engagement. He believes that, “Working with CCSU’s Office of Continuing Education helps support ParaDYM Academy’s mission to create media literate digital citizens and empowers the youth we serve to be the leaders of tomorrow. Everything I learned about empowering students to be self-directed, I learned at CCSU.”
If you are interested in or want to learn more about the Tech it Out Summer program at CCSU, please contact Christa Sterling at CSterling@ccsu.edu or 860-832-2277. You can also join our mailing list for helpful tips and more information on open courses.