Project Use
Client: Project Use
About this Project
Since 1970, Project U.S.E. has connected young people in Newark, N.J. with the great outdoors in their own backyard, inspiring personal growth through experiential learning in diverse, safe and challenging settings. They work with every age group -- from elementary students to workforce professionals -- to instill the values of self-respect, strong character and teamwork. To make this video, we documented Project U.S.E.’s three largest programs, which emphasized their important role in the community and profound impact on participants.
The first was the Wildcat Mountain Wilderness Center, an environmental education center nestled in northern New Jersey’s Wawayanda State Park. The Center is home to Project U.S.E.’s high ropes course, accesses miles of hiking trails and is used for team building exercises and camping excursions, among other outdoor activities.
The second of Project U.S.E.’s major programs is called Pedal Farmers. Teens in Newark come together in this summer program to tend an urban garden and sell their wares at the local farmers market. To get from place to place, participants ride bikes, instilling a sense of independence and the idea that you can have mobility without relying on public transit.
The final program outlined in the video is Boat Building. A STEM educational program, students are taught to follow plans, use power tools and assemble their own flat-bottom skiff, which they then launch in the Passaic River. “One of the biggest things that kids get out of this is the sense of accomplishment,” said executive director John Petrillo, “When they see that thing float, the level of self-confidence and sense of achievement is like bursting out of their faces.”
Short Promo
Every year, Project U.S.E. raises money through a fun, but intense 50-mile hike challenge. Since they were thrilled with the main, promo video, they commissioned us to put together a video to promote Project U.S.E.’s annual fundraiser, a hike along the Appalachian Trail. I'd love to say we hiked all 50 miles, but the finish line was just so close to where we parked. /p>
