About Our Program

Consumer to Creator

In our increasingly digital world the Youth Digital Studio seeks to introduce the creativity of young people to the power of technology, giving them the tools needed to turn consumers into creators.

Story

In June of 2009, I began teaching technology to at-risk children, but the story of YDS begins when at the age of 9, my family began setting up computer schools in Romanian orphanage. Since then working with children from many different cultures and backgrounds has always been a passion of mine, so my wife and I opened up the Youth Digital Studio as a way for all students to have the opportunity to learn to create using technology.

In the Fall of 2011 we open up  the doors of YDS to the Research Triangle of North Carolina. It is our goal to give students the skills and tools they need to be digitally creative. Through our unique immersion method, all of our students learn not only how to create with professional tools, but are motivated to be entrepreneurs themselves.

In July of 2012 we launched our classes online at YouthDigital.com. Within six months our online classes grew to over 500 students from 43 states and 8 countries. We are very excited to continue to teach students at our Studio and around the globe. 

YDS is a place where students can create anything they can imagine using digital technology: websites, games, apps, short films, graphics, animations, companies and more while exploring future careers and gaining critical skills. 

In the end, the Youth Digital Studio is a place that I would have loved as a child.

Justin Richards, Director