SFFS Youth Education focuses not just on media made for young people but on media made by them. Through a range of events and opportunities, we seek to support, encourage and champion the work of youth media makers and youth media organizations from around the Bay Area and around the world.

Golden Gate Award for Best Youth Work
For more than a decade, we have highlighted youth media through the Youth Works category of the annual San Francisco International Film Festival’s (SFIFF) juried Golden Gate Awards. Dedicated to recognizing and rewarding the work of talented young filmmakers, the Golden Gate Award for Best Youth Work comes with a $1,500 cash prize.

Schools at the Festival Youth Works Screenings
Special educational screenings of the complete SFIFF Youth Works program are presented to audiences of more than 500 middle and high school students each year. It is a rare and inspiring opportunity for young people to view the work of their peers in a theatrical setting, with the youth filmmakers in attendance for post-screening Q&A.

Young at Art
Focusing more closely on youth media made exclusively in San Francisco, SFFS Youth Education also partners with the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to judge, produce and curate the Media Arts segment of SFUSD’s annual student arts festival, Young at Art, held at the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park each May.

San Francisco International Youth Media Festival and Conference 
SFFS is currently planning the launch of an annual Youth Media Festival and Conference, the country’s first major international showcase of the best in digital media by students ages 13–18. The event will include screenings, interactive workshops and seminars and opportunities for networking and peer-to-peer collaboration with groups and individuals from around the world.