MAPS: Small-town kids learn big-screen skills. Media Arts in Public Schools Fundraiser Planned for 2/28 with Little Feat

Corvallis High School media arts class takes a break from filming their music video, "Wonderboy." That’s teacher Peter Rosten, center, and a local cow in the background.
When Peter Rosten retired to the Bitterroot Valley from Hollywood a few years ago, he knew a lot about making movies and nothing about teaching kids.

Now, Rosten is a certified teacher (recently nominated as a Disney Teacher of the Year) and Corvallis students are fledgling filmmakers, thanks to his unique Media Arts in Public Schools (MAPS) program.

In just 18 months since its inception, MAPS has attracted considerable attention. The program will benefit from an upcoming concert by Little Feat in Missoula, and has been enthusiastically endorsed by Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Superintendent of the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) Nancy McCulloch and U.S. Rep. Dennis Rehberg and Senators Max Baucus and Conrad Burns.

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MAPS – Media Arts In Public Schools Fundraiser With "Little Feat", 2/28, Missoula http://www.matr.net/events.phtml?showdetail=1516

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So what’s the big deal? Schweitzer’s interest is pragmatic, says Rosten. “The governor is very keen on bringing the film business back to Montana,” he says. “But from a practical perspective, it’s going to be very difficult to get film producers into Montana unless you have a workforce.”

Full Story: http://livelytimes.com/feature_articles/fronts/MAPS.html

Further Stories: http://www.matr.net/article-18119.html