Costa Mesa, Sept. 13, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beginning September 13, audiences across the country will follow the real-life adventures of 12 high school students as they hit the road across Texas to explore their future. “Room to Grow,” a documentary produced by career exploration nonprofit Roadtrip Nation and presented by KQED, will highlight student interviews with professionals and college students pursuing inspiring and essential careers – making the Lone Star State and the rest of the world all the better for it.
Supported by Texas OnCourse, “Room to Grow" is four episodes long, each following three Texas students as they explore the region they're from—northwest, south-central, northeast, and southeast Texas—in Roadtrip Nation's green RV. This is the first time Roadtrip Nation has had high school students participate in the road trip experience. The students, selected through a competitive video application process, attend public, private, and charter schools across Texas. Like most of us, these students are not sure where their future will take them, but they’re curious about postsecondary and career opportunities existing close to home.
The series features interviews with Texas college students, educators, business leaders, and STEM professionals, all of whom are dedicated to making a difference in Texas and the world at large. The roadtrippers cross paths with StoryFit CEO Monica Landers, who’s using AI and machine learning to help bring publishers and movie studios into the future; J. Elaine Marshall, the director and presiding judge over Houston’s municipal courts; and other inspiring individuals.
“Roadtrip Nation is about showing people there are many ways to bring meaning to your life and the lives of so many others,” said Mike Marriner, co-founder of Roadtrip Nation. “That’s why we were pleased when Texas OnCourse fueled this initiative. We want to help people realize personal development and career fulfillment is possible anywhere, including the state you call home.”
“At Texas OnCourse, our vision is to help all Texas students, regardless of their zip code or where they’re headed after high school, plan for a successful future,” said Laura Brennan, director of Texas OnCourse. “Career exploration is a critical part of that journey, and we’re proud to partner with Roadtrip Nation to offer this experience to Texas students.”
“Room to Grow” will stream at rtn.is/texas and air on public television weekly. To learn more, visit rtn.is/texas and follow @RoadtripNation and @TexasOnCourse on Twitter.
About Roadtrip Nation
Roadtrip Nation, a nonprofit organization, is working to change the way people approach choosing a career by creating content, products, and experiences that guide individuals in exploring what’s possible when they follow their interests. They took their first road trip in 2001, and have driven over half a million miles and made more than 30 documentaries — broadcast over 100,000 times on public television — sharing the stories and advice of inspiring leaders in all kinds of careers. Roadtrip Nation’s career discovery resources are fueled by an online archive of thousands of video interviews and stories, with personalized career exploration, educational programs for middle school through college that are accessible to millions of students, plus live tours and events all around the country. They’re the authors of four books, including the New York Times best-selling career guide, “Roadmap.” Along the way, Roadtrip Nation has benefited from world-class partnerships with great companies and foundations that have supported their mission to empower people to define their own roads in life. To learn more, visit roadtripnation.com/about.
About Texas OnCourse
As Texas’ definitive resource for college and career preparedness, Texas OnCourse equips middle and high school students for postgraduation success. With Texas OnCourse, students discover and prepare for future opportunities with our career and college exploration and course-planning tools. Parents and guardians stay on top of vital information and milestones to keep their child on track. And educators connect to professional learning tools and an essential roadmap to guide their students to plan for their own futures. Texas OnCourse is an initiative from The University of Texas at Austin, in partnership with the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. For more information about Texas OnCourse, visit texasoncourse.org.
About KQED
KQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS affiliate based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. A trusted news source and leader and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places and ideas. For more information, visit www.kqed.org.
About NETA
The National Educational Telecommunications Association is a professional association that serves public television licensees and educational entities in all 50 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Since 1967, our reason for existing has been to connect public television people and ideas, by providing quality programming, educational resources, professional development, management support, and national representation. For more information, visit www.netaonline.com.