Our Educational Programs
We offer a range of programs designed to empower individuals on the autism spectrum to build fulfilling careers, gain life skills, and contribute to their communities. Whether through visual arts, technical training, or volunteer opportunities, our goal is to help each person reach their full potential.
Visual Arts Academy
Six-Month Training Program
Visual Arts Academy is an animation, artificial intelligence and digital arts training program for adults on the autism spectrum. The program, taught virtually by live instructors, trains and prepares a person for specific skills needed to work in job positions that launch a person’s career in the Animation industry. The training is meant to provide a path to develop these in-demand skills and prepare a person to enter the job workforce.
​
All VAA instructors, skills trainers and coaching support are current active professionals in the animation, AI and Digital Arts industries and have multiple years of working with challenged populations. Topics covered are: Story Development, Artificial Intelligence Prompting, Character Design, Storyboarding, Rigging, Compositing.
The VAA path toward employment consists of six months of skills training, advanced skills training, paid apprenticeships, on the job training and coaching support. Visual Arts Academy has agreements with Animation production studios to work with the top graduates from VAA.
VAA Youth
Animation, AI, Digital Arts (8 - 17)
VAA Youth is an inclusive and supportive animation training program tailored for youth on the autism spectrum. Conducted virtually by experienced instructors, our program emphasizes introductory animation, artificial intelligence, and digital arts within a safe and nurturing learning environment.
The youth program is dedicated to allowing participants to explore areas of interest and then equipping them with the vital skills necessary for launching a successful path to a career in the animation industry. Our curriculum covers essential topics such as storytelling, character design, and movement, along with the development of basic drawing skills.
​
Students will engage in hands-on projects that encourage creativity and self-expression, all while benefiting from a structured setting that promotes confidence and collaboration. VAA Youth, where creativity flourishes and futures are built!
Stargate Program Coming 2025
Cyber Security
​
Training is to provide a designation as an Ethical or Red Hat hacker, using the same tools, techniques, and processes as attackers to find and demonstrate the business weaknesses in a system. Once cyber attacks are identified, the mission is to eliminate the cyber threat. The Stargate program, chaired by retired Green Beret Lance Milburn, has been designed by our Special Forces advisors and patterned after the “Special Forces Qualification Course”
.
Areas covered include: Vulnerability Assessment, Penetration Testing: Exploit Development Malware Analysis, Password Cracking, Cryptography, Incident Response, Cloud Security, Web Application Security, Mobile Security, Legal and Ethical Considerations, Communication Skills.
Worldwide Stargate’s mission is to create a unique team of cyber security experts and innovative thinkers who operate outside of the normal boundaries to find solutions to our ever growing cyber security issues..
Galaxy Program Coming 2025
Stock And Trading
The Galaxy Program is a financial literacy and stock investment program for youth on the Autism Spectrum.
Our program is specifically designed to build financial literacy and introduce the world of investing in a safe, supportive, and engaging virtual environment. Participants will learn how to invest in both traditional stocks and cryptocurrencies. No prior knowledge of the stock market is necessary—our program makes learning fun and accessible for all skill levels.
Youth, taught virtually by live instructors, will be able to practice stock and Crypto trading through simulated portfolios, allowing them to understand the basics without the risk of real-world consequences. By tracking real stock prices, they will gain experience in how markets move and change, all within a secure and risk-free setting. This program is an excellent opportunity for youth on the spectrum to develop confidence in managing their investments, fostering financial skills that can last a lifetime.