By SEPP JANNOTTA - Ravalli Republic

The new school year is still a ways off, but pieces to the funding puzzle are falling into place for the MAPS Media Institute.

MAPS, a program that plans to offer Ravalli County high school students and others a crack at earning professional media arts jobs, has received a $575,000 grant to be spread over the next five years. MAPS founder and President Peter Rosten said he is happy some of the pressure is off.

Darby, MT. – Teen Suicide is an important and urgent issue in Montana. So when Brian Cherry, Coordinator of the Ravalli County Youth Suicide Prevention Alliance wanted to create a message to address the issue, he came to MAPS. “We wanted a video created and produced by teens and MAPS history of employing talented, young communicators made them the perfect choice”, says Brian.