Press & Events

YDA featured in CS Indy Paper

The Colorado Springs Independent featured YDA on November 5, 2014.  Click here for full article.

YDA World Premiere at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center

On November 5, 2014, nearly 300 people crammed into the main theatre at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center (FAC) to see ten new films by the 2014 graduating class of the Youth Documentary Academy.  FAC President David Dahlin introduced the evening by describing his own excitement of meeting YDA … Read more »

YDA featured in Gazette Telegraph

The Gazette Telegraph featured the Youth Documentary Academy on November 3, 2014. For full content, visit link.          

YDA Students on KCME Radio

In November, 2014, KCME Radio Producer Keith Simon sat down with YDA filmmakers William J. Sobolik and Destiny Rinder and YDA Founder/Director Tom Shepard to discuss the program.  Their conversation aired on KCME’s The Culture Zone and can be heard below. .

Writer Kathryn Eastburn on YDA

Author, teacher and former Founder/Editor of the Colorado Springs Independent Newspaper, Kathryn Eastburn shares her thoughts about the Youth Documentary Academy in her weekly Middle Distance commentary on KRCC Radio on October 31, 2014.  Katherine was a guest artist during the 2014 summer session and will return as an instructor of … Read more »

YDA Founder Tom Shepard on KRCC

Independent Producer Ryan Lowery interviewed YDA Founder and Director Tom Shepard at the studios of KRCC for his radio show IN THE SPRINGS.  Their conversation took place on the eve of the World Premiere of YDA films last November and covered the program’s genesis, teaching philosophy, and the value of documentary filmmaking … Read more »

Youth Documentary Academy is Launched

The Gazette Telegraph covered YDA’s launch here. On June 2, 2014, the first class of the Youth Documentary Academy met at the Bemis School of Art in Colorado Springs, CO.  Twelve students from seven area schools convened and began getting to know each other and instructors Aaron Burns and Suzan … Read more »

Pikes Peak Art Council nominates YDA filmmakers!

The Pikes Peak Art Council nominates AFTER WAR by Bailey Francisco and ONE IN SIX by Destiny Rinder in Outstanding Student Filmmaking. Link to filmmaker pages below: AFTER WAR: youthdocumentary.org/filmmakers/bailey-francisco/ ONE IN SIX: youthdocumentary.org/filmmakers/destiny-rinder/

While walking around Boulder, so many people came up to me and my dad to thank me for making AFTER WAR.

Bailey Francisco, 17


We were struck by how deeply students were willing to delve into difficult topics, often personal stories, and handle that material with real sensitivity.

Tara Thomas, Director of Education, Bemis School of Art