We encourage young people (ages 15-25) interested in media production or advocacy to discover what we can do together.

Youth-led means U decide how U can make a commUnity impact. Unity begins with ‘U’.

Join the Journey this Fall & Winter

Explore media making with other youth interested in technology and arts as you develop transferable business skills. TeenTigerTV continues this Fall & Winter under the leadership of Tim Lopez.

Dates: Weekly Mondays 6-8:30 PM

2025-26 Plans: Expand the Contributed Media Project with Youth Submissions and Contest for the Bill of Rights Institute MyImpactChallenge.

Develop Video Submissions for C-SPAN StudentCam and O’Connor Civics Challenge

Community Partnership Make #TeenTigerTV Possible

We are deeply grateful to receive funding support from youth-oriented foundations: Ulbrich Family Foundation community and Scare Crew of Trail of Terror. Unexpected 2025 grants demonstrate the strong community commitment to youth development and media literacy in Wallingford. This youth media program would have never been possible without the support in formative years from the James H Napier Foundation and the GrassRoots Fund. The town’s Youth Services Dept. helped navigate the process which extended two mentorship opportunities to youth in the summer program.

About Tim Lopez and #TeentigerTV

Several summers ago, Tim Lopez began as a participant. He loves being creative with food and had no expectations of finding a deep interest in video production. He is now enrolled in Middlesex Community College Media Certificate Program. Tim succeeded Ben Negron, now a WPAA-TV Board Member, as Youth-Leader.

This past summer, Tim worked alongside Story Coach and Artistic Director Josiah Houston with a dozen new media makers. They explored interviewing with The Meet, script writing (Penny’s Playhouse), Advocacy (PSA), camera & video production (Piecing Democracy Together) after learning basic skills within the 6000 Books Initiative. Our youth bring culturally diverse books to life with audio-video production. Content is shared as part of TV Storytime, 4:30 pm Monday through Saturday. All content is added to the Youth Media Playlist here.

TeenTigerTV is free, flexible, and tailored to participants’ interests in media-skills development.

Our annual six-week summer program begins mid-July. Summers are full of other things, like family vacations, so we are flexible.

Who can come: We offer training and support for all high school-age youth in Wallingford. Youth from neighboring communities can participate, if we are not a capacity. Sometimes we feed you.

Teams explore a variety of media formats related to graphics, storytelling, TV, and film. These skills will prepare you for life or upcoming video festivals.

If you applied to Workforce Alliance Summer Employment through Wallingford Youth & Social Service we are a host site. You can be paid to participate in this program.

Orientation: What to expect. Explore the space. Meet other prospective participants. Meet coaches. Brainstorm. Discuss what the summer can be for you.

Mon-Tues-Wed Each day starts at 1 pm. We have learned from past years that this start time works best.

Tuesdays include dinner and studioW Make TV activities.

Those joining us through Youth & Social Services Summer work program will have opportunities to work 15 hours each week. Others have potential for 60 hrs High School Community Service.

Are you going to be a Freshman in September? You can complete your community service before high school and be better prepared for school.

Our coaches are experienced writers and filmmakers.

What have #TeenTigerTV participants created besides their logo? Youth-made media linked below.