Led by Vice Chairman Thomas Galvin, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has extended an existing agreement with Mesa Public Schools and invested an additional $1 million of Community Solutions Funding into the Mesa Youth Creative Agency (MYCA). The funding will help MYCA provide 40 students per semester with hands-on creative training and work experience supporting local employers.
“While classroom learning is an integral part of education, getting students out into the real world with internships and work-based learning experiences enables them to kickstart their careers with more confidence,” said Vice Chairman Thomas Galvin, District 2. “Maricopa County is proud to support the Mesa Youth Creative Agency and I am happy to invest District funds in the creative and professional development of high school students across the Mesa Unified School District.”
MYCA is a Mesa Public Schools Workforce Development Program and the first youth creative agency in the U.S. that operates as a real business and goes head-to-head with competitors in the agency space. Students gain access to paid internships, college and career planning workshops, connections to trade schools and higher education institutions, certifications in a variety of creative design programs, and help with career-building tools like resumes, digital portfolios, and LinkedIn profiles.
While building their own experience, students give back to the local business community by helping them expand their marketing strategies. Students have created graphic design, print collateral, and promotional materials, managed social media accounts, worked on videography, photography, and animation projects, crafted interior and exterior murals, curated painting sets for lease, and offered interactive painting experiences for special events.
“The Mesa Youth Creative Agency is the first of its kind that empowers our students to explore their passions and gain real-world experience in the creative industry,” said Dr. Andi Fourlis, Superintendent of Mesa Public Schools. “This generous $1 million grant from Maricopa County will ensure that MYCA continues to provide unparalleled opportunities for our youth to build successful futures while making a positive impact in our community. We are deeply grateful to Supervisor Galvin for this investment in our students as they prepare for college, their careers, and life after high school.”
In the 15 months that MYCA has been operational, their inaugural cohort of high school seniors has successfully transitioned to community college, university, or creative industry careers after collaborating with notable partners like the Mesa Arts Center, the Mesa Public Schools Foundation, the Alice Cooper Solid Rock Teen Center, Phoenix Animation MeetUp, and the Phoenix Symphony. Students have even hosted the first annual Phoenix Animation Expo and worked with Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum on a vibrant mural for United Food Bank.
In the original Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) that expires on December 31, 2024, the Maricopa County Human Services Department allocated $1,290,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding to Mesa Public Schools to establish MYCA. The revised IGA extends the agreement through December 31, 2026 and administers an additional $1 million to continue MYCA’s initial success and grow the program’s impact to reach even more students.
The county budget provides each supervisor a set amount of Community Solutions Funding each year to help advance Maricopa County’s strategic goals and provide clear public benefits for residents. For more information on recent Community Solutions Funding projects, visit the Maricopa County News page.
