YCP at Work – Meet Dr. Ana DeGenna Superintendent, Oxnard School District
Dr. Ana DeGenna’s path into education wasn’t one she expected. With an undergraduate degree in economics, she originally imagined a future in public policy. But a substitute teaching job led her to the classroom, where she discovered a deeper purpose. What started as a temporary role quickly became the foundation of a career in public education.
Through those early classroom experiences, she recognized the broader impact of public schools — not just on students, but on the communities they serve. She saw how thriving schools contribute to thriving neighborhoods, and how education is deeply intertwined with opportunity. Teaching led to school leadership, and over time, she became a principal and eventually superintendent.
Her journey represents a full-circle experience. Dr. DeGenna arrived in the United States from Ecuador as a young English learner and was once a student in the very district she now leads. The support she received as a newcomer shaped her path, and over the years, she has served Oxnard students as a teacher and principal. Now, as superintendent, she works to ensure that the same opportunities that shaped her are available to every student who walks through the district’s doors.
Oxnard, she says, is a district with a strong sense of identity. Cultural and linguistic diversity are not just present, they are celebrated. Even through political shifts, Oxnard has remained committed to biliteracy and multilingualism, a value upheld not only by educators but by the families and communities they serve.
That foundation helps guide the district through ongoing challenges, including addressing the socioeconomic needs of students and navigating broader political conversations around education and multilingualism. The goal is to ensure every student has access to the tools, support, and encouragement they need to succeed.
The Youth Cinema Project (YCP) is one of the ways the district has enriched student learning. From the moment it was introduced, the program offered something new: an outlet for creativity, collaboration, and self-expression. Educators quickly saw students becoming more engaged, more curious, and more confident in their abilities.
One of the district’s priorities was to support students in developing their voices, both literally and figuratively. Public speaking, storytelling, and meaningful self-expression were core goals, and YCP provided a hands-on way for students to build those skills while exploring real-world tools and concepts. As students began to create their own films, they also strengthened their writing, research, and communication skills.
“Storytelling is such a valuable part of any culture, and in particular I think it’s a valuable part of our students’ culture because it is how our culture, language, and history has been passed on for generations,” says Dr. DeGenna. “It provides our students with an opportunity to look at their lived experiences now through that lens and realize that what may seem just day-to-day interactions are actually a story to be told.”
The program’s impact extended beyond academics. Students who once stayed quiet in the back of the room were now standing behind cameras, conducting interviews, or presenting their ideas to classmates. Confidence that began in the YCP classroom began to carry over into other areas of school life. One student, who started out reserved and unsure of himself, today takes part in sharing the school news and has interviewed staff, which is something his principal attributes to the self-assurance he built through YCP.
Teachers have noticed a similar shift across classrooms. As students grow more confident, they’re more willing to take risks, share their ideas, and take pride in their work. Parents have noted how excited their children are about school projects, how eager they are to come to school, and how much pride they take in creating and sharing stories that matter to them.
The district is especially enthusiastic about the expansion of YCP into after-school programming. This broader access allows more students to engage with the program in meaningful ways and deepen their learning experience. It also aligns with the district’s commitment to developing students as critical thinkers, collaborators, creators, and global learners.
For Dr. DeGenna, programs like YCP play a key role in helping students see what’s possible. “Students need to realize there’s more out there that belongs to them, and that they can be a part of it,” she says. By giving them tools to tell their stories, explore new skills, and imagine future careers, the program helps bridge opportunity gaps and makes school feel not just relevant, but exciting.