Lights, Camera, Connection: Inside ORT’s 2025 Digital Skills Academy
Earlier this month, high school students from across Europe and Israel gathered in Sofia, Bulgaria for World ORT’s Digital Skills Academy (DSA): an immersive weeklong program that equips participants with hands-on training in digital photography, audio and video production, and media literacy. From exclusive visits to Nu Boyana Film Studios and Disney’s regional headquarters to expert-led workshops and vibrant cultural exchanges, the DSA offers students a transformative experience that blends cutting-edge skills with global connection. This incredible opportunity is made possible thanks to the generosity of ORT supporters.
To give you a real sense of what the program is like for students, we’d like to share this daily recap of the week’s activities and highlights:
SUNDAY 6th JULY
On Sunday, each arrival was met at the airport and accompanied back to the City Avenue Hotel, our home in Sofia for the week, for check-in.
Our wonderful Madrichim, Kiril and Shira, organized some ice-breaking activities. Our group is made up of high school students from Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Moldova, Spain and Ukraine. We learned that some students had travelled for more than 24 hours to reach the DSA while others had come from homes that were 15 minutes away.
The hotel is comfortable, with two students in each room. Buffet breakfast is taken before leaving the hotel at around 9am to get to the school which is just 2-3 minutes’ walk. We have security guards with us at all times and the local police are keeping watch over us too.
Our medical professional (super) Mario is with us 24/7 and is caring for any student who isn’t feeling 100%, and our logistical director Tsveta is taking care to make sure that the program runs smoothly and that everyone is comfortable and happy.
Lunches and dinners are taken at the Hamsa kosher restaurant, also 2-3 minutes’ walk from the school.
MONDAY 7th JULY
On Monday, we began the day with a formal opening session where we were welcomed with inspiring words from the principal of ORT school #134 in Sofia, the Chair of ORT Bulgaria, the national director Plamen Petrov who is also the Coordinator of the Digital Skills Academy, the Chief Program Officer of World ORT and other special guests.
We then went straight to our workshops for introductions to the digital skills courses. Half the group is learning digital photography with professional photographer Sophia (supported by her assistant Stoyan) and the other half are learning digital audio and video production with our experts Petar and Marin. Both courses began with a theoretical introduction before moving quickly to practical activities and projects.
In the evening, we offered an optional visit to the local shopping mall, so that students could change currency and buy some snacks in the supermarket. Our madrichim concluded the day with a Sikkum (feedback) session where students shared their highlights of the day (‘roses’) and what could be improved (‘thorns’) before going to bed.
TUESDAY 8th JULY
On Tuesday, we began the day with an exclusive visit to Bulgaria’s world-class film studios at Nu Boyana close to Sofia.
We were given a guided tour and offered an amazing opportunity to shoot video footage and take photos on their film sets including Ancient Rome, New York, London and Baghdad. We were allowed to wander around (and get inside) their massive vehicle collection of classic and modern cars and shown their impressive underwater filming facilities. It was an incredible and rare insight into what goes on behind the scenes of blockbuster movies.
After lunch we came back to school for three hours of workshops and then in the evening we were treated to a talk by ladies from the Jewish community group “Manos Bendichas” who shared some stories about their community and the social and therapeutic benefits of being part of an arts and handicraft group, before giving each student a handmade gift.
After that we started the first set of country presentations (the second set will be this evening), where students presented their countries to each other and shared some delicious local snacks.
WEDNESDAY 9th JULY
On Wednesday morning we took a coach to the offices of The Walt Disney Company’s offices in Sofia, where they coordinate Disney, STAR and National Geographic channels for the region.
We were welcomed with a huge buffet breakfast and given a quick tour of their office before settling in for some presentations, explaining the different roles that are needed in the headquarters of a multinational media and entertainment company.
Each department showed us what they do and how it fits in the larger picture. We heard from representatives from legal, marketing, business, HR, and others, but the highlight was hearing from the creatives on how they work together with everyone else in the company. We had a Q&A session before taking a group photo and receiving some Disney merchandise as gifts.
The afternoon was spent in classes, and in the evening, we were treated to a special performance by a local music star, who sang well-known hits accompanying himself on the keyboard. We followed the show with a fun karaoke experience with students singing together on the stage and concluded with a Sikkum led by our Madrichim to share feedback on the day’s experiences.
THURSDAY 10th JULY
This morning, we began immediately after breakfast with classes and then boarded the coach for a special visit to the offices and studios of one of Bulgaria’s national television networks, NOVA TV.
On arrival we were ushered up to the morning news studios and took our seats while the news anchor presented live national news in front of our group. Once she’d finished her work, she gave us a guided tour around the studios and editing suites, the newsroom and production rooms, before bringing us back to the studios where students took photos behind the news desks.
Before leaving, we were introduced to Bulgaria’s most popular weatherman, and both presenters answered the students’ questions on their work, careers and experiences. It was a unique educational opportunity, giving DSA participants insights into many types of careers in the media industry and explaining what it takes to make it to the top of their fields.
We ate lunch at the Hamsa restaurant once again before returning to classes and a special demonstration of lighting techniques in portrait photography, during which a few brave students took the opportunity to model for the camera and get some professional portraits taken.
Yesterday evening was laundry night, and students filled their bags with clothes to be washed for the weekend. We finished with some team-building games, then dinner and the six remaining country presentations.
