Digital Media for Creators and Influencers

Step into the exciting world of digital storytelling and content creation at UC Davis Aggie Square! In this immersive summer camp for high school students ages 14–16, you’ll explore the skills, tools and strategies that shape today’s digital media landscape—moving from casual content consumer to confident content creator.

Learn how to develop an authentic digital identity by planning and producing content that reflects your interests, values and goals. Through group discussions, hands-on activities and collaborative projects, you’ll discover how storytelling, personal branding and audience engagement work together across social platforms. You’ll also learn how to analyze feedback, interpret basic performance metrics and refine your content with intention.

Digital responsibility and safety are central to the experience. You’ll explore platform features, privacy settings, copyright awareness and ethical best practices to ensure thoughtful and respectful online participation.

By the end of the course, you’ll have developed a personal content strategy and created original media that showcases your voice—along with a foundation in the creative, technical and strategic skills used by today’s digital creators.

Who Should Register
This course is designed for early high school students (ages 14–16) who are curious about digital media, content creation and the growing creator economy. It’s a great fit for:

• Aspiring content creators and influencers who want to learn how to plan, film, edit and publish content more intentionally and professionally
• Creative students interested in media production, storytelling, marketing or digital communication
• Entrepreneurially minded teens curious about building a personal brand, launching a channel or understanding how creators earn income
• Future media and tech professionals exploring careers such as social media management, marketing, journalism, public relations or digital entrepreneurship
• Students who enjoy social media and want to better understand how platforms work — and how to use them responsibly and strategically

What You’ll Learn

• Define your digital identity and understand how online content shapes perception
• Identify a content niche, target audience and platform aligned with your interests
• Develop a personal brand, including tone, style, values and messaging
• Plan engaging content using hooks, visuals, captions, hashtags and calls to action
• Create authentic content that connects with your intended audience
• Use beginner-friendly tools to script, record and edit digital media
• Analyze basic metrics (likes, views, comments, shares) to evaluate performance
• Practice responsible digital behavior, including online safety, privacy and copyright awareness
• Understand how creators generate income through sponsorships, affiliate marketing and user-generated content
• Set SMART goals to guide content growth and creative development

Skills You’ll Gain

• Personal branding and strategic thinking
• Storytelling and digital communication
• Content planning and production
• Introductory media and editing skills
• Metric awareness and performance analysis
• Ethical digital citizenship