April 1, 2008 - Students attending Midwood High School at Brooklyn College don’t just watch television like other teenagers; they work on TV, too.

Six years ago, under the vision of then Principal Loewis Frohlich and Dr. Ernest Pysher, Assistant Principal for Technology, Midwood High School at Brooklyn College received a Resolution A grant to build a television studio. Designed by Midwood alumnus, Jerry Eisenberg, the ATV Studio incorporated a 3-camera set-up, blue screen, control room and editing suite.

“The Film/Video/Television program at Midwood has produced students who have won awards at the Seattle and Tribeca Film Festivals and made dynamic contributions in HBO’s Reelworks Teen Filmmaking program,” said Dr. Ernest Pysher, A.P. of Art & Technology at Midwood.

Today, under the leadership of Principal David Cohen, Midwood continues to pursue the use of technology in the classroom and provides a vibrant learning community, engaging all students to achieve their personal best. In alignment with Mayor Bloomberg’s Blueprint for the Arts, students explore community and cultural resources such as BCAT and the HBO Reelworks Teen Filmmaking program at the 9th Street YMCA. They also build job skills as they learn industry standard software such as Final Draft and Final Cut Pro.

The Midwood Studio services approximately 500 students a year and has been selected as a secondary school of excellence by both U.S. News and World Report and The United States Department of Education. Students fulfill their New York State mandated art credit while learning media literacy and digital video production as well as communicating their observations and interpretations of their ambient environment and life experience. Students considering careers in film, television or theatre production participate in a sequence of classes under a Perkins VTEA grant.

Recently, Midwood students attended private screenings of film classics at the Lincoln Center Film Society and produced public service announcements promoting responsible decision-making, both in and outside of school, as part of Midwood’s Social Emotional Learning initiative. For more information on the Midwood Film program please contact Dr. Ernest Pysher at epysher@schools.nyc.gov or phone 718-724-8566.