Getting a good taste of the working world

Angelique Flores

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The Entertainment and Tourism Academy at

Huntington Beach High School will join the prestigious National Academy

Foundation thanks to a grant from the Friends and Neighbors of Seacliff

Inc.

The nonprofit corporation awarded the academy $5,000 to cover costs

for the one-time membership fee into the national foundation.

The first Entertainment and Tourism Academy in Orange County, and the

first academy in the county to become a part of the National Academy

Foundation, gives students a jump-start into the job market. The academy

not only teaches about the entertainment industry, travel and tourism,

but gives students a good taste of the working world in these markets.

“You get your foot in the door before you even need to get in the

door,” said junior Allison Andrews, president of the academy.

Andrews had the opportunity to step into John Gilbert’s shoes when she

was “general manager of the day” at the Waterfront Hilton Beach Resort.

Through classes, internships and job shadowing, students learn job

skills and professional business attire and behavior. The focus is aimed

at getting students ready for a career in their chosen field.

“They’re mature, well-mannered and more ambitious by the time they

graduate,” said Connie Warbrick, director and founder of the program.

Membership into the national foundation will allow the academy to

expand its educational and networking opportunities for students, opening

up doors to college scholarships and connections for students and

stronger curriculum for teachers.

“It’s a total education for the students that is unique that doesn’t

occur anywhere else in the school,” Warbrick said.

Besides the industry experience, students such as Andrews enjoy the

academy’s new community service requirement. The teens have participated

in a youth picnic for foster kids, visited senior citizen homes,

volunteered at soup kitchens and helped out with toy drives.

This year, the academy has 95 students. Last year, the academy had its

first graduating class of 28.

Ryan Steidinger is one of those graduates whose steps to success

through the academy were profiled on CBS’ “School to Career” segment

Monday.

“It’s a great experience to go through because it really helps you

determine if you really want to do this as a job,” Steidinger said.

“There’s work involved, but it’s really fun. ... And it’s helped me get

connected to the business world.”

The 19-year-old Huntington Beach resident focused on television and

produced the high school’s weekly new show, “Campus Update.” He attends

Orange Coast College and Golden West College, majoring in television and

film.

He keeps busy working in Golden West’s music department, at KOCE-TV as

an audio freelancer and as sound engineer at Huntington Beach High

School.

He also runs his own video production company, Steidinger Films, out

of his home. He started the company five years ago as a hobby.

“Hopefully, I can turn it into more than just a hobby,” said

Steidinger, whose client base has already grown. “Everyday things are

growing.”

Now, Steidinger hires the academy students on a job-by-job basis for

his own work.

“I love giving back any way I can,” he said.