Cerritos : Gahr High Will Get Free Satellite TV Program

The ABC Unified School District board has unanimously approved a proposal by a Tennessee publishing company to conduct a test of a satellite television program at Gahr High School in Cerritos.

“This is a gift that we’re blessed to participate in. We are very excited about the possibilities,” said Nadine Barreto, Gahr principal speaking on behalf of the school.

Whittle Communications, a publishing company that is branching into telecommunications, selected Gahr as one of six high school participants from a cross-country search.

As a participant, Gahr will broadcast a daily 12-minute current events program for 25 days with a format similar to nationally televised morning talk shows. The goal is to increase students’ awareness of world events and geography.

“It is a way to bring the world into the classroom,” Barreto said.

Beginning March 6, teen-age anchors will present the combination news and features show, that contains four 30-second commercials from Ford and Levi Strauss, to all classrooms at Gahr. The commercials are the source of funding for the equipment and “are being done in good taste,” said Barreto, who also has the right to preview them.

A satellite dish, master VCR and 25-inch television monitors in 85 classrooms are being installed at Gahr at no expense to the district. Whittle officials say the company will donate the equipment to the school at the conclusion of the test period that is scheduled to end April 28.