A&E NETWORK COMMISSIONS UNTITLED NEW HIGH SCHOOL DOCUSERIES FOLLOWING EVERYDAY YOUNG ADULTS EMBEDDED AS NEW STUDENTS AT A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOR AN UNBIASED LOOK AT LIFE BEFORE AND AFTER THE BELL RINGS
TWELVE EPISODE SERIES FILMED IN TOPEKA, KANSAS, HISTORICALLY KNOWN FOR THE LANDMARK CASE BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION
NEW YORK, NY – May 15, 2017 — A&E Network has ordered an eye-opening new untitled docuseries that takes a first-hand look at the inner-workings of the universal American experience of life in public high school. The series will follow seven everyday young adults, all with personal motivations for participating, who are sent in by Topeka school officials for a semester at Highland Park High School – a mid-sized public school within a highly diverse school district. Participants immerse themselves to help the community and the country learn more about life as a public high school student. The series was filmed during the course of the spring 2017 semester. More details, including title and premiere date, will be announced shortly.
“Highland Park High School is emblematic of schools across America today,” said Elaine Frontain Bryant, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming, A&E Network. “Through immersive content and unprecedented access, viewers return to high school for a unique look into life as an American teen today, a topic at the forefront of today’s cultural conversation. We are so grateful to the school officials, students and the parents for such personal access.”
Participants from a variety of backgrounds and locations were carefully chosen to take part in this project. After thorough background checks and district screenings they became fully immersed, focusing their time in Topeka away from their family and friends. Tasked with adapting to new social norms, they quickly learn what it’s like to be a teenager today.
The untitled series is produced for A&E Network by Learning Tree Productions, a subsidiary of Lucky 8 TV. Executive producers for Learning Tree are Gregory Henry, Kimberly Woodard, Jeff Grogan, Kelly McClurkin and Charlie Marquardt. Executive producers for A&E Network are Elaine Frontain Bryant, Shelly Tatro, Brad Holcman. Molly Ebinger serves as co-executive producer.