Ten local high school students are attending a different kind of boot camp from June 10-20 at the University of Nevada, Reno. The students were chosen through a competitive application process to be participants in the third annual Smallwood Foundation Multimedia Boot Camp. Over the course of two weeks, they will receive rigorous instruction and hands-on experience in a wide range of media and research activities at the University's award-winning Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center, one of the most technologically advanced libraries in the country.

The students, all high school seniors this coming fall, will make use of the full range of multimedia equipment and software provided in the Knowledge Center's @One area, including the use of state-of-the-art media facilities. They will receive concentrated instruction in audio, video and media editing skills using Premiere Pro, Flash, iMovie, Adobe Photoshop, 3D Studio Max and Adobe After-Effects. In professional-level projects, they will learn how to shoot video with digital cinema cameras, integrate images, create 2D and 3D animation and use recording-room technologies.

The multimedia boot camp is provided free of charge to students thanks to a grant from the Frances C. and William P. Smallwood Foundation. The student attendees are also allowed to use the Knowledge Center and all it has to offer throughout their senior year in high school.

In addition, the Smallwood Foundation has provided a two-year $2,500 scholarship to attend the University to the student exhibiting the most potential. The student named the Smallwood Foundation Scholar will also have the opportunity to work in the Knowledge Center's @One multimedia area during his or her undergraduate career at the University.

The 2013-2015 Smallwood Foundation Scholar is Matthew Egan from Bishop Manogue Catholic High School. Egan has a strong work ethic and has shown initiative and dedication by using @One on his own time. During his boot camp experience last year, Egan said, "The highlight of my experience at Smallwood was being able to work with movie-grade production equipment such as high quality film cameras and audio recording equipment." He has since helped with a number of film productions at the University, including a soon-to-be-released documentary titled the "Hidden Cave."

Besides providing a learning experience for students, the boot camp is also designed to spread the word among high school students about what the University has to offer.

"The Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center just impresses everyone who steps through its doors," said Kathy Ray, dean of University Libraries. "It is such a terrific resource for our students. We believe exposing high school students to the Knowledge Center will help them realize all this University has to offer and will aid in recruitment efforts."

For more information on the Smallwood Multimedia Boot Camp go to the Smallwood Bootcamp Facebook page and Smallwood Bootcamp Facebook Image Gallery.