HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIF. (May 21, 2008) – On Saturday, May 31, hundreds of students and educators from across the state will attend the “42nd Annual California Student Media Festival” – the nation’s oldest student media festival – hosted for the third consecutive year by KOCE-TV, Orange County’s PBS station. Taking place at the Huntington Beach Library and Cultural Center at 7111 Talbert Avenue, award-winning work from more than 6,000 K-12 students who hail from more than 300 schools across the state will be showcased on a big screen. Also, in true Academy Awards style, the student winners will have the opportunity to give acceptance speeches as they are recognized with plaques and certificates. Festivities will begin at 9 a.m. and will end before noon.

“This is a wonderful event that celebrates the exemplary work students are capable of, beginning at very early ages,” said Janet English, senior director of education and new media at KOCE-TV responsible for heading up the festival, and a local Orange County teacher for more than 13 years. “By integrating media into regular subject area curriculm, we have truly been able to reinvigorate the classroom setting and get kids excited about learning – also serving the educational missions of KOCE-TV.”

Over the years, the California Student Media Festival has awarded more than $108,000 to California schools. Created four decades ago as a small local competition, the festival has expanded to include the work of more than 6,000 student contestants from schools throughout California. The festival exists to celebrate the amazing media projects produced by California’s best and brightest students and teachers – rewarding and acknowledging their successful classroom work. The event showcases what can be accomplished when talented students and dedicated teachers work together integrating multimedia into education.
The 42nd Annual California Student Media Festival is made possible through a partnership between KOCE-TV and Computer Using Educators (CUE), California’s largest technology user group for educators. The presenting sponsor is Wells Fargo Bank. Additional sponsorship and support is provided by Discovery Education, Foothill College Center for Innovation, and MediaBlend.com. For more information, visit www.mediafestival.org.

About KOCE-TV
KOCE-TV, located in Huntington Beach, produces Orange County’s only nightly news show, Real Orange – now celebrating its 10th year – as well as Inside OC, the only news and analysis show about Orange County business and politics. KOCE-TV has been lauded for its outstanding service to the community and is the recipient of 25 Emmy Awards and 26 Golden Mike Awards. The station’s staff of producers, writers, directors and reporters thoroughly understands the people, places and issues that define Orange County.

KOCE-TV is the sixth-most watched PBS station in America with an estimated 5.8 million viewers* monthly. KOCE’s award-winning programming offers the fifth-largest county in the nation a long-standing community hub for local news, culture and features, and broadcasts the best available national PBS programs to the entire Southern California five-county region. Known for its outstanding dedication to education, KOCE Classroom serves more than a half million K-12 students. A national Roper poll recently ranked PBS as number one in public trust for the fourth consecutive year.** The winner of hundreds of awards including Emmys and Community Service Awards, KOCE continues to be a vital community resource and connector for Southern California. For more information, please visit www.koce.org.
* Nielsen Station Index 2007
** Reported by the GfKRoper Public Affairs & Media poll (2007)

Editor’s Note: To attend the event or arrange interviews, please contact Leslie Licano at 714-573-0899 ext. 23 or via e-mail at leslie@echomediapr.com.

Press Contact: Leslie Licano 714.573.0899 ext. 23 leslie@echomediapr.com