Students and teachers at Scotlandville Magnet High School – along with one elected official -- were treated to a taste of Washington, D.C., politics and public affairs programming on today, February 9, as the C-SPAN Digital Bus rolled into Baton Rouge as part of its “Washington: Your Way” national tour.  The visit was sponsored by Cox Communications.

“We are very proud that C-SPAN selected Baton Rouge as one of its stops on its national tour,” said Sharon Bethea, public affairs manager of Cox Communications Louisiana. “The bus offers students a very hands-on educational experience and generates a great deal of enthusiasm about the importance of civic engagement.”

Forty-eight students and teachers from the school’s Center of Excellence for Government/Law toured the bus and were able to participate in demonstrations featuring the C-SPAN Video Library and the network’s social media offerings.   The stop at Scotlandville was part of a three-city tour in Louisiana, including stops in New Orleans at Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology School and Tulane University and in Lafayette at Lafayette High School.  Educational programming that C-SPAN provides for teachers and students also was highlighted.

“Scotlandville Magnet High is very grateful to have been chosen by Cox Louisiana for this rare opportunity extended to our Government Affairs/Law students. The exposure to the workings and technology of C-SPAN's global media has opened the door for career opportunities in filming and video broadcast journalism," said Ernest Morris, principal of Scotlandville Magnet High School. 

State Representative Dalton W. Honore (District 63), a graduate of and former teacher at Scotlandville Magnet High School, toured the bus with students.  “I watch C-SPAN all the time, and I’m a fan of CNN,” he told students.  “It keeps me up to date.  You need to stay glued to the TV and to C-SPAN.  It’s important to know what’s going on, because you never know where life will take you.  I never thought I’d be a representative.”

After exploring the bus and taking interactive news quizzes on its computers, senior Ashleigh Ray, who is enrolled in the high school’s Business Honors program, said, “This has really broadened my horizons about the different news sources available.  I think I’ll start watching C-SPAN more now.”  Camera Whicker, a junior in the school’s Governmental Affairs Center, learned that C-SPAN news is broadcast every day, all day long.  “It’s different, because they try to report the news neutrally by doing things like shooting tape of every person framed from three buttons on the shirt up.”

Governmental Affairs and Law teacher Lisa Lemoine said it is important for students to get hands-on experiences like the C-SPAN Digital Bus.  “It shows them this knowledge in action with interactive quizzes.  It creates an interest and motivates students to learn more because it is interactive and not just an assignment I give them,” she said.

The C-SPAN Bus program began in 1993 with the C-SPAN School Bus. This year marks the bus program’s 18th year on the road. The C-SPAN Digital Bus and crew travel the country, producing programs and engaging the public in government through education.  For more information about the bus visit www.c-span.org/bus for scheduling and other information on the C-SPAN Digital Bus.

About C-SPAN
C-SPAN was created by America's cable companies in 1979 as a public service and programs three public affairs television networks (C-SPAN, C-SPAN2 and C-SPAN3); C-SPAN Radio, a Washington, D.C. public affairs radio station distributed by XM Satellite Radio; and a video-rich Web site that hosts the C-SPAN Video Library. Visit www.c-span.org.

About the C-SPAN Digital Bus
In June 2010, the C-SPAN Digital Bus was launched to showcase cutting edge technologies and update C-SPAN’s community outreach within the 18-year Bus program.  In 1993, C-SPAN launched its Bus program as a way to bring the world of public affairs into schools and communities nationwide. Working with cable television partners across the nation, C-SPAN’s bus program has visited students, teachers and citizens in all 50 states to discuss public affairs, C-SPAN's programming and free educational resources.  In May 2010, after traveling more than a million miles, the two original C-SPAN buses were retired from service, and the C-SPAN Digital Bus was launched.

About Cox Louisiana:
Cox Louisiana employs nearly 1,800 people with an annual payroll of over $80 million. In this region, Cox serves over 511,000 customers with voice, video and data products in 18 parishes.  Information about the products and services offered in the combined Louisiana markets can be found at www.cox.com/louisiana.

About Cox Communications:
Cox Communications is a broadband communications and entertainment company, providing advanced digital video, Internet, telephone and wireless services over its own nationwide IP network. The third-largest U.S. cable TV company, Cox serves 6.2 million residences and businesses. Cox Business is a facilities-based provider of voice, video and data solutions for commercial customers, and Cox Media is a full-service provider of national and local cable spot and new media advertising. On Cox in Baton Rouge, C-SPAN can be seen on channels 98 and 141, C-SPAN2 on channel 142 and C-SPAN3 on channel 143.  More information is available at www.cox.com and www.coxmedia.com.

(left to right) C-SPAN marketing representative Tamara Robinson explains a live news display on the C-SPAN Digital Bus Wednesday as she talks to Scotlandville Magnet High School students, including (first two sitting, left to right) students Sara Brown and Ashleigh Ray.