JDS Creative Academy (JDSCA) and Spirit of Innovation celebrate their latest accomplishment of winning six Telly Awards. JDSCA, in collaboration with their job-training participants, won two Telly Awards in the category of Diversity and Inclusion for the SOI Update, a weekly news and information program, and for the PSA Seat Belt Safety. Spirit of Innovation won four Tellys in the News Feature category: the Spotlight segment Foodie Destinations, highlights Riverside County as a hotspot for dining; the Voice of Innovation segment Riverside County Jobs Outlook & A.I., looks into what the workforce might be like as technology continues to advance; an Impact Story on Learning Disability Month; and a look-back segment on Notable Women of Temecula, featuring historical women in the Temecula Valley.
The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens and is judged by leaders from video platforms such as television, streaming networks and production companies, and includes executives from Dow Jones, Duplass Brothers Productions, Complex Networks, A&E Networks, Hearst Media, ESPN Films, RYOT, Vice+ and Vimeo. The Tellys attract creators from all over the globe and announced that just this year alone, more than 13,000 entries were submitted from all 50 states and five continents. JDSCA was exhilarated to hear that their job-training SOI crew, which consists of adults with autism and developmental disabilities, were noticed since they work extremely hard to stand out in the professional world.
Aryn Porras, pre-apprentice and a job-training participant, shared her thoughts on winning this Telly. “It’s shocking! It left me speechless to hear that our studio had won awards for six of our entries. It is a huge achievement! I’m really proud of all of us and our hard work,” said Porras.
The team of mentors behind the scenes of the job-training program consists uniquely of industry professionals and apprentices. Spirit Of Innovation, a magazine-style news show for Riverside County is made up of no less than 30 creators from all different backgrounds. The SOI crew worked long days brainstorming, writing, producing, editing and is beyond words to be recognized as a 2020 Telly Winner.
“As a past Telly winner in our full-service production company, I knew what an accomplishment it was to win. When I found out that our job-training news and information show, along with their PSA won too, I was so excited for them! I am very proud of our staff and crew at #JDSFamily,” said Diane Strand, founder of JDS Creative Academy/Executive Producer of Spirit of Innovation.
Shedding light on an overlooked population is a huge part of JDSCA’s mission. Winning six Telly Awards did just that. The accomplishment provided a simple boost in morale for staff and job-training participants and will open doors to new opportunities. The #JDSFamily continues to work in a collaborative effort to keep Riverside County residents In-The-Know with what they Need-To-Know. The #JDSFamily is looking forward to another year and season of hard work.
Keep a lookout for the next LIVE Spirit of Innovation show on July 30th. The viewers and supporters of the #JDSFamily are appreciated! For more information visit www.JDSStudio.Live