Cause An Uproar

Alta Vista helps supports Big Cat School Remot Primary

BIG CATS INITIATIVE SISTER SCHOOLS FOR 2013-2014 SCHOOL YEAR

National Geographic Society and Nat Geo WILD NamesAlta Vista Elementary as One of Its

The Redondo Beach School Joins Others from New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., to Participate with Schools in Kenya, Tanzania and Botswana to “Cause An Uproar”

And Raise Awareness about Declining Populations of Big Cats in the Wild

North American Wildlife Expert and Nat Geo WILD Host Casey Anderson Participates in

Alta Vista Elementary School-wide Assembly

(Redondo Beach, CA – Feb. 5, 2014) Alta Vista Elementary has been selected to join three public schools across the United States to participate in a unique cross-cultural initiative, National Geographic’s Big Cats Sister School Program. During the 2013-2014 school year, the Big Cats Sister School Program is pairing the U.S. schools with schools in Kenya, Tanzania and Botswana under the shared theme of big cat conservation. On Feb. 13, Alta Vista Elementary will hold a school-wide assembly to officially launch the Big Cats Sister School Program. On board to present a big cat video and engage directly with students will be Nat Geo WILD host and North American wildlife expert, Casey Anderson.

As part of the Big Cats Sister School Program, students in all four countries will learn why big cats are important to the ecosystem and how they each perceive big cats in their own countries, using photos, letters, essays, stories, virtual assemblies and other forms of digital media to connect. The student groups will also interact with National Geographic conservationists and Nat Geo WILD television channel talent to raise awareness about the severe decline of the big cat population in the wild. The U.S. students will create and conduct high-profile activities in their schools and communities to spread the word about the significance and scope of this crisis.

Big cats are victims of conflict with humans and habitat loss or degradation. National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative is a long-term commitment to halt the decline of these iconic animals in the wild through on-the-ground conservation projects, education and a global public awareness campaign. The Big Cats Sister School Program, launched by the National Geographic Society and Nat Geo WILD, provides teachers and students an ongoing opportunity to “Cause An Uproar” to help save big cats throughout the school year as well as engage in a cultural exchange.

“This program helps to connect children around the globe on the important topic of big cat conservation,” said Alexander Moen, National Geographic’s vice president, Explorer Programs. “We need future generations to recognize the importance of saving our planet’s predators so that 40 years from now they won’t look back on lions the way we now look back on dinosaurs.”

The four U.S. schools, which were selected through an application process, highlighted how they would raise awareness of big cats within their schools and communities. The schools are:

Alta Vista Elementary, Redondo Beach Unified School District, Redondo Beach, California
P.S. 205 The Fiorello H. LaGuardia School, Bronx, New York City Department of Education, New York
Hill-Freedman World Academy, School District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Hyde-Addison Elementary School, District of Columbia Public Schools, Washington, D.C.

The four schools in Kenya, Tanzania and Botswana were identified by National Geographic field researchers. They are:

Remot Primary School, Westgate Conservancy, Kenya

Loibor Siret Primary School, Loibor Siret, Tanzania
Isele Primary School, Tanzania
Gudigwa Primary School, Gudigwa, Botswana

The Big Cats Sister School Program is a unique interactive, educational and cause-related community service learning project. It is geared toward enhancing school spirit among participating students by connecting children with other children in a faraway part of the world. The program provides much-needed school supplies to schools and children in Africa and demonstrates support, charity and goodwill in these regions. Throughout the school year, the Big Cats Sister Schools will utilize free online multimedia activities and education resources provided by National Geographic Education and a variety of programming elements from Nat Geo WILD’s big cats-related films. Students will conduct awareness activities in their schools and communities to “Cause An Uproar” to help save big cats.

“This initiative is the perfect next step in our commitment to this important cause,” said Geoff Daniels, executive vice president and general manager of Nat Geo WILD. “Nat Geo WILD is dedicated to family-friendly programming, including our Big Cats programming. We fully expect the Big Cats Sister School Program will enhance student learning about a significant global issue and inspire students to use their collective voice to raise awareness about the dramatic decline of these magnificent creatures.”

The principals of the four newly selected U.S. Big Cats Sister Schools expressed strong commitment to the program. Susan Wildes, principal of Alta Vista Elementary, said, “We are thrilled that our school was chosen for this unique and meaningful opportunity. I anticipate our students will experience a unique connection to the Big Cats Sister School Program. The project is an ideal fit for Alta Vista ‘Wildcats.’ It will allow our students to make connections with diverse groups of people and become more internationally minded, while engaging in a passionate study of the animals our school loves so much. The project will provide us with important insights into the plight of students in Africa and will cast a much needed light on the critical issue of the decline of big cats in the wild.”

National Geographic Big Cats Initiative

Founded in 1888, the National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. With a mission to inspire people to care about the planet, the member-supported Society offers a community for members to get closer to explorers, connect with other members and help make a difference. The Society reaches more than 500 million people worldwide each month through its media platforms, projects and events. National Geographic has funded more than 10,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects. The Big Cats Initiative (BCI) is a long-term effort to halt the decline of big cats in the wild. BCI supports efforts to save big cats through assessment efforts, on-the-ground conservation projects, education and a global public-awareness campaign. For more information, visit CauseAnUproar.org.

National Geographic Education Programs

National Geographic Education is the educational outreach arm of the National Geographic Society. National Geographic Education brings the rich resources of the Society to its audience of educators and learners as part of its mission to prepare young people to care for the planet. National Geographic Education creates educational materials for young people and the adults who teach them, conducts educational programs for educators and advocates for improved geographic education. Under the auspices of the National Geographic Education Foundation, it has awarded more than $80 million in grants to support efforts to improve geography education in the United States and Canada. For more information, visit NatGeoEd.org.

Nat Geo WILD

For more than 30 years, National Geographic has been the leader in wildlife programming. The networks Nat Geo WILD and Nat Geo WILD HD, launched in 2010, offer intimate encounters with nature’s ferocious fighters and gentle creatures of land, sea and air that draw upon the cutting-edge work of the many explorers, filmmakers and scientists of the National Geographic Society. Part of the National Geographic Channels US, based in Washington, D.C., the networks are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Cable Networks. In 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) debuted, and 10 years later, Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled. The Channels have carriage with all of the nation’s major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with Nat Geo WILD currently available in 56 million U.S. homes. Globally, Nat Geo WILD is available in more than 100 million homes in 90 countries and 28 languages. For more information, visit www.natgeowild.com.

CONTACTS:

National Geographic National Geographic Channels Alta Vista Elementary

Mimi Koumanelis Rajul Mistry Susan Wildes, Principal

202-857-5814 202-912-6794 310-798-8650

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]