Award-winning Education Series Launches in Colorado With Help of BP's $15 Million National Commitment

Award-winning Education Series Launches in Colorado With Help of BP's $15 Million National Commitment

'A Place of Our Own' and 'Los Ninos en Su Casa' air statewide on Rocky Mountain PBS Sundays at 6 and 6:30 a.m. starting Jan. 21

DENVER, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- This weekend, Rocky Mountain PBS will add a new program to its Sunday children's lineup. The Peabody Award-winning public television series "A Place of Our Own" and its Spanish-language companion, "Los Ninos en Su Casa," will launch on Rocky Mountain PBS with help from multi-million dollar support from BP America and the BP Foundation.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000724/NYM120LOGO )

"A Place of Our Own" and "Los Ninos en Su Casa" will air on Rocky Mountain PBS Sundays at 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. starting January 21.

Launched and developed in 2004 in California, "A Place of Our Own" and "Los Ninos en Su Casa" is designed to help prepare children for school, the series offers practical advice and resources for parents, grandparents and caregivers of preschool-age children. Since the series launch, viewing studies have found that 80 percent of participants report increased knowledge in areas such as managing aggressive child behavior, sharing and the importance of learning through play, as well as changes in their own attitudes and behavior as childcare providers.

"A key part of Rocky Mountain PBS' mission is to help prepare Colorado children for school," said Rocky Mountain PBS President and General Manager James Morgese. "Last year, we hosted more than 100 Ready To Learn workshops, which help parents and caregivers teach literacy skills and anger management skills to children. Offering 'A Place of Our Own' and 'Los Ninos en Su Casa' to our statewide viewership perfectly complements this effort."

BP was one of the original funders of the series with an initial grant of $10 million. Now, thanks to more than a $15 million commitment from the BP Foundation and BP America, and support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the First 5 California Commission, the shows will be aired on PBS stations nationwide. The funding, which will underwrite the cost of production and extensive outreach in communities, is part of BP's ongoing commitment to education across the continuum, from pre-school through college.

Jack Rigg, BP general manager of government and public affairs for the Rockies, said, "'A Place of Our Own' and 'Los Ninos en Su Casa' have already made a remarkable contribution to the lives of young children and caregivers in California. BP's additional investment is focused on enabling young people here in Colorado and in other locations throughout the country to have the same chance at scholastic success." Barnett added, "I'm proud that BP's ongoing commitment to education will make a difference in the communities where we operate."

Kindergarten teachers estimate that one in three children is unprepared for the challenges of school. "A Place of Our Own" and "Los Ninos en Su Casa," along with their websites, give parents and caregivers of young children information about helping their children develop social, emotional and cognitive skills.

About BP

BP and its predecessor companies have operated in Colorado since the 1920s, where it is a leading producer of natural gas. In La Plata County, where BP employs about 200 men and women, BP operates approximately 1100 wells that produce 675 million cubic feet of natural gas per day or nearly 25 percent of all the natural gas in the state. The company contributes about $45 million in state and local taxes to Colorado.

Globally, BP is one of the largest energy companies, providing its customers with fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, retail services, renewable and alternative energy sources, and petrochemical products for everyday items. BP America employs more than 37,000 in the United States. BP's family of brands includes Amoco, Aral, ARCO, BP and Castrol. More information about BP America can be found at http://www.bp.com/us.

About the BP Foundation

The BP Foundation is a non-profit charitable foundation funded through gifts from BP. It supports educational institutions and programs of other non-profit organizations in communities where BP operates.

About KCET

KCET, the West Coast flagship station of PBS, is public television for southern and central California. KCET is watched by four million viewers a week in 11 counties, the largest broadcast reach of any public television station in the United States. The station also serves as a content provider for national and regional PBS member stations.

Throughout its more than 40-year history, KCET has garnered hundreds of major awards for its local and regional news and public affairs programming, its national drama and documentary productions, its quality educational family and children's programs, and its outreach and community services. Series produced from the station's Hollywood studios include Life & Times, Visiting With Huell Howser, California Connected, Tavis Smiley and "A Place of Our Own"/"Los Ninos en Su Casa".

About the Series

"A Place of Our Own" and "Los Ninos en Su Casa" is produced by KCET, in association with Sesame Workshop. The series are also produced in association with 44 Blue Productions Inc. Stephanie Drachkovitch and Mary Mazur are executive producers. Joyce Campbell is executive in charge of production. The programs are produced as part of KCEd(TM), the education initiative at KCET. For more information on the series, visit http://www.aplaceofourown.org/ and http://www.losninosensucasa.org/.

About Rocky Mountain PBS

Rocky Mountain PBS is celebrating its 50th anniversary on the air. The network began as Colorado's first public television station, KRMA-TV in Denver, and is now Colorado's only statewide television network. It is committed to serving its viewers and members with high-quality national, regional and local television programming and lifelong learning services. Rocky Mountain PBS is renowned for its award-winning public affairs, documentary and performance productions, and it is a digital technology leader, serving the Denver, Pueblo/Colorado Springs, Grand Junction and Durango areas with a high-quality 24-hour digital signal. KRMA-DT provides innovative local programming plus signature programs from the PBS national schedule. KTSC-DT provides a high-quality simulcast of the broadcast signal. KRMJ-TV serves Grand Junction and Western Slope viewers and is simulcast on KRMJ-DT in Grand Junction and KRMU-DT in Durango. To learn more, visit Rocky Mountain PBS online at http://www.rmpbs.org/.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000724/NYM120LOGO
Source: BP America

CONTACT: Allison Inman, Rocky Mountain PBS, +1-303-620-5797; or Paula
Barnett, BP Public Affairs, +1-303-830-3256

Web site: http://www.bp.com/
http://www.bp.com/us
http://www.aplaceofourown.org/
http://www.losninosensucasa.org/
http://www.rmpbs.org/

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