Preparing Young People for What Comes Next
A youth development and career-readiness program of Youth Texas Teams and Society of Royals
The Youth Texas Teams Media Academy is a career-readiness, youth development, and mental wellness program for young people ages 14 – 18 who are interested in sports, media, communications, marketing, technology, and careers connected to the sports industry.
Youth Texas Teams and Society of Royals provide young people with hands-on media experiences, mentorship, career exposure, professional skill development, mental wellness education, and opportunities to build real-world experience. Participants learn how to develop content, communicate effectively, collaborate with a team, and explore career pathways across the sports, media, and entertainment industries.
The Academy also incorporates financial literacy and production budgeting to help students understand the business side of media. Participants learn to plan and manage budgets, track expenses, allocate resources, estimate production costs, and make responsible financial decisions for projects involving equipment, production teams, travel, hosts, talent, and other operational needs. These experiences help students build the financial knowledge and practical skills needed to manage productions, pursue entrepreneurship, and prepare for long-term career success.
By combining creative development, professional mentorship, financial education, and mental wellness, the Media Academy prepares young people to become confident communicators, responsible decision-makers, and future leaders in their chosen fields.
The Media Academy uses sports as an entry point, media as a learning environment, mental wellness as a foundation, and career readiness as a pathway forward.
of Programming
School Districts
High Schools
Youth and Young Adults Reached
Counties
Cities
Participants have opportunities to:
Develop sports journalism and storytelling skills
Conduct interviews with athletes, coaches, professionals, and community leaders
Create articles, digital content, and other media projects
Build professional communication skills
Explore marketing, branding, social media, and sports business
Learn responsible uses of technology and AI
Develop professional portfolios and work samples
Develop professional portfolios and work samples
Connect with mentors and industry professionals
Strengthen confidence, resilience, communication, and leadership skills
Learn practical mental wellness and healthy coping strategies
Explore internships, work-based learning, and future career opportunities
The Media Academy gives students opportunities to apply what they learn through practical projects and collaborative media experiences. Participants can explore different production roles, contribute to creative projects, work with peers, and develop professional skills that can support future educational and career opportunities.
Students also learn how to approach a project from both a creative and business perspective. From planning a production and assigning responsibilities to estimating expenses and monitoring a budget, participants gain an understanding of the preparation, teamwork, and financial management required to bring a media project to life.
Financial literacy is an important part of preparing students for careers in media, entertainment, sports, and entrepreneurship. Students learn to:
Estimate and plan costs for equipment, sets, travel, production teams, hosts, talent, and other project expenses.
Monitor spending, maintain accurate records, and keep projects within approved budgets.
Prioritize essential needs, compare costs, and determine how to use available funds effectively.
Explore grants, fundraising, sponsorships, and the responsible management of funds received for projects.
Prepare for unexpected expenses, manage limited resources, and make spending decisions that support project goals without compromising quality.
Review production expenses, analyze budget outcomes, identify cost-saving opportunities, and apply financial lessons to improve future projects.
These practical skills help students understand how financial planning supports successful productions and prepares them to manage money responsibly in the workplace and in their personal lives.
Youth Texas Teams Magazine & Podcast serves as a hands-on learning environment for Media Academy participants.
Young people can experience the process of developing professional content from beginning to publication. Participants may pitch stories, research topics, conduct interviews, write and edit articles, receive feedback, revise their work, and contribute to published content.
Through this experience, participants begin building a professional portfolio they can use for future education, internships, employment, and career opportunities.
Career preparation is about more than technical skills.
The Media Academy incorporates mental wellness education into the participant experience, helping young people develop skills related to stress management, confidence, resilience, healthy communication, positive relationships, goal setting, and knowing when to seek support.
Through the partnership between Youth Texas Teams and Society of Royals, participants are encouraged to understand that their mental wellness and their future are both important parts of their success.
The Media Academy helps young people connect their interests to potential career pathways.
A passion for sports can lead to an interest in journalism, broadcasting, digital media, marketing, photography, videography, communications, sports business, technology, partnerships, operations, analytics, or entrepreneurship.
Participants are encouraged to move through a pathway of: