Renee Clancy “Cameras That Care”

Clancy’s innovative teaching idea, “Cameras that Care,” focuses on helping students cultivate skill, talent, and business acumen within the field of photography. Her project involves a multi-step approach to photography class, in which students learn how to take high quality photos and then are tasked with offering their skills to families within the community that cannot afford photography services. The Voya grant will go towards the purchase of a new set of cameras for her class, which will give them the opportunity to work directly with real clients to explore their burgeoning photography interests, all while learning invaluable lessons in business management and community service. According to Clancy, the beauty of the project comes from the students own discovery of how an action as simple as snapping a photo can evolve into a project that transcends the boundaries of traditional academic instruction, to explore the more profound lessons taught through creative, service-oriented study.