Print, radio and TV ads for College Goal Sunday at the University of Montana all came from the Media Arts in the Public Schools members of Corvallis High School. They came up with the giant gingerbread man that prospective college students can bite for financial assistance.
Corvallis sophomore Brandy Handy came up with the gingerbread man idea after cruising the Internet for fun ideas. She said since then, she's looked at TV commercials with new eyes.
Junior Jessie Smith was one of the co-producers, in charge of organizing the shooting days. The experience helped her understand the importance of reliability.
“You're learning more the business trade of it, not textbook things,” Smith said. “You're dealing with real people and real deadlines. With this, you can't really make it up. You've got do things the minute you get them.”
The students took about two months to design the campaign and produce the final tapes and images. The effort was based more on a school-to-work experience than a classroom project.
MAPS founder Peter Rosten is looking to expand the three-year-old program beyond the Bitterroot. The retired TV and movie producer currently teaches classes in media skills at the high schools in Corvallis and Darby. Next month, he plans to open a branch in the Missoula Boys and Girls Club. And he's taking a proposal to the 2007 Legislature to fund 10 more programs in high schools throughout the state.
“So far, I've done this out of my own pocket,” Rosten said. “I'm ready to fund our Boys and Girls club program, but not all the public schools programs. We're making a $400,000 request. But people should know that 35 percent to 40 percent of our income comes from fees, from companies that pay our kids to do professional-level work. We're not looking to chow down in the pubic trough. If you invest in this program, you'll get a return on your investment. We create jobs.”
Rosten has already hired one recent high school graduate, Luke McLean, to help him teach his classes while the young man works on a full-time filmmaking career. He also helps students broker independent deals for media production projects with paying clients. Large-scale projects like the College Goal Sunday campaign earn money for the MAPS Foundation, which puts its funds back into student instruction.
The Student Assistance Foundation put together the statewide College Goal Sunday. Its staff hired MAPS to design its campaign after the foundation applied for one of its public service grants. The MAPS team brainstormed 200 concepts for possible ads. They winnowed that down to 50, and then cut that pile to 20. Those went to Libby Siebens, the college access marketing manager at SAF in Helena.
“We chose our top four, and they produced a TV ad and three radio ads for College Goal Sunday,” Siebens said. “Some of their ideas we found were just as professional and interesting as regular ad agencies. We would love to work with them on future projects.”
They may have to wait in line. MAPS students have already produced ads for the Marcus Daly Hospital and Ravalli County DUI Task Force, and are developing a project for the Hamilton Players' Oscar Night fundraising party at the Pharaohplex Theater in Corvallis.
“We've proven this model works,” Rosten said. “Young people can not only be excited and inspired, but they can do professional-level work. What we do is magic, and some people pay a lot of money as an insurance policy trying to buy magic. That's why people like what our kids do, because they're fresh.”
Reporter Rob Chaney can be reached at 523-5382 or at rchaney@missoulian.com
Is college your goal?
High school seniors who are interested in attending college are encouraged to attend College Goal Sunday at the University of Montana on Sunday in the Gallagher Building's computer lab on the second floor.
The event is intended to help parents and students fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which is required of any student seeking federal loans and scholarships.
Signs and volunteers will help guide people to the computer room, with sessions planned at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Reservations are not required.
The event is also being held at the same times at the following western Montana campuses: Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell and Libby; Blackfeet Community College in Browning; and Salish Kootenai College in Pablo.
If you are going, here's what to do and bring before you get there:
Bring Social Security numbers for parents and students; 2006 federal tax returns for parents and students, or 2005 tax returns if the 2006 documents aren't complete; W-2s and other aid information such as tribal income, child support, etc.
Also bring FAFSA personal identification numbers for parents and students, which can be obtained at http://www.pin.ed.gov.
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