PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (October 27, 2004)--- The Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission has partnered with the Palm Beach County Office of Economic Development to launch an innovative new curriculum called the On-Location Education Program for high school students interested in pursuing careers in the film and television industry. The program brings film and TV industry experts into the classroom to instruct students on how to budget, write, develop, film and edit television programming. Students will develop their own 30-minute television show, which will air in April 2005 on the school district’s cable network, The Education Network Channel 19. The six-month program begins this month.

“Thanks to the visionary leadership of the Board of County Commissioners and the Palm Beach County School District, this unique program will put students and industry experts together, adding a new and exciting element to the way our children learn,” said Chuck Elderd, Film Commissioner for Palm Beach County. “This is the first time students will participate in the new One-Stop Student Permitting process which allows them to leave the classroom and film onsite at tourist destinations, government facilities and other locations across the county.”

The three schools participating in the program’s inaugural year, Park Vista Community High School in Lake Worth, Alexander Dreyfoos School of the Arts in downtown West Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens High School in Palm Beach Gardens, have each been assigned one of three programming topics relevant to the area: the restoration of the 1916 Palm Beach County Courthouse, Palm Beach County’s Criminal Justice System and Palm Beach County Tourism. Each school will have a project committee to help guide the process. The committee will consist of a chairperson, the selected industry expert, the teacher, advisory members and a student representative.

“This is such an important initiative to enhance the skill set of students interested in pursuing a career in this rapidly growing field,” said Jody Gleason, Director of the Education Commission. “It’s the first program of its kind in this county to actually offer real-world experiences that will better prepare film and television students for jobs after graduation.”

The FTC has budgeted $5,000 per industry professional to oversee and manage these film projects, and each school will receive a $3,000 production budget. The funding is provided through the FTC’s contract with the Economic Development Office. The FTC has mandated content standards for distribution that comply with School Board regulations.

“The curriculum also goes beyond film and television, teaching crucial business skills such as writing, communication and relationship building,” said Palm Beach County School District Superintendent Dr. Art Johnson. “We’re confident this program will be well-received throughout the community, and we look forward to its future expansion into other schools in Palm Beach County.”

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