Exemplary Individual Performance Awardee
Ms. DEBORAH BROOKS
Executive Director The ACME Network
Debbie has always been a visionary in the workforce development arena. Coming from the private industry as a seasoned project manager, staff recruiter, and training specialist, and from the education field as an inner-city technology instructor and director of workforce development projects, she brought a wealth of skills to the non-profit Work Force L.A., a precursor to The ACME Network, in 1995. Debbie had an early understanding of the impact of the Internet and the value of introducing students to technology, especially in a project-based learning environment. With this perspective, Debbie ultimately pioneered innovative programs which integrated technology and project-based learning into education and workforce development, such as the New Media Academies within the Los Angeles Unified School District system and The “Collaboratories” School Classroom Transformation project.
The ACME Network (ACME) came about as the next stage of Debbie’s workforce development efforts. ACME is a unique online program that marries technology and creative skills and brings students and professionals together in mentoring relationships. This unique experiential and applied approach encourages underserved students to learn by doing and introduces them to people with whom they would ordinarily never get the chance to interact- quite an inspiring milieu for an inner-city high school student!
With the legacy of her work, Debbie has been able to give underserved students the chance to fully participate in the digital revolution by eliminating the economic and structural barriers and providing the competitive training they need.
The ACME Network
ACME Animation
