by JOEL GALLOB - Ravalli Republic
July 1, 2008

CORVALLIS - Usually, when an academic institution starts to spin off a business, the institution is a college or university.But recently, in Ravalli County, it was Media Arts in the Public Schools (MAPS), which was created initially at Corvallis High School. Its leader has decided to move the program from academic project to independent business.

Youngsters will still be involved, said Peter Rosten, creator both of MAPS and the embryonic business called MAPS Media Institute, MMI. But now grown-ups will be involved, too. And it should provide jobs here, and video production training to local adults as well as youth.

MAPS was created in 2004 by the Florence Prever Rosten Foundation “to educate, create jobs and change lives for Montana youth.”

In 2006 it won a contract with the Montana Student Assistance Foundation, and MAPS students produced a video “Hungry For Knowledge, Go To College,” which was broadcast statewide. MAPS was paid $12,500 for that work.

That same year, MAPS also received a $40,000 grant from the Steele-Reese Foundation.

In 2007, MAPS landed its first national advertising client, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. It produced on-the-air spots that were aired in 38 different states.

With its client fees exceeding expenses last year Rosten said MAPS became financially self-sufficient.

“Last year, when we received $75,000 for two 30 second commercials we proved that this is a business that could work. “ he said. “Three years ago, when we attracted our first paying client, the Ravalli County DUI Task Force, its Director (Glenda Wiles) believed in what we were doing and the talent of our kids…that was an amazing day.”

In 2008, on the last day of the school year, Rosten was honored with the “Exemplary Service Award” by the Corvallis School District. The award was made at the traditional year’s end teacher’s luncheon; Corvallis Superintendent, Daniel Sybrant, presented the honor acknowledging Rosten’s four years with the high school and for Rosten’s “…vision, loyal dedication, perseverance and unwavering commitment to the students of the Corvallis School District and Montana.”

This June, Rosten announced formation of MMI. It will open its doors in September 2009, and will exist under the same legal umbrella as MAPS.

In the meanwhile, MAPS in Corvallis is closed.

“I gave the equipment to the students,” said Rosten.

By September 2009, Rosten hopes “to get a brick and mortar warehouse, with an open space for an artistic environment. It’ll be a training facility and a business, but we’ll also train adults now. But I won’t be in the classroom teaching, I’ll be doing business development.” That, he said, will create perhaps five local instructional jobs, while also providing training to students interested in video and related media arts. It will require some start-up capital, but that doesn’t worry Rosten.

Rosten, a Democrat, is challenging Republican incumbent Ron Stoker for the state House of Representatives seat from House District 87, which includes Darby, south county, Pinesdale and a chunk of Hamilton.

Rosten says he hopes to use a state legislative seat to (among other things) convince the state Legislature to help medical consumers break the Bush administration’s ban on buying costly pharmaceuticals in Canada, where they cost far less.

Rosten added there is no reason why he can’t be a legislator and manage a business. The state Legislature is composed of “citizen legislators,” virtually all of whom have a business or work at one, he said.

Rosten has made a three-minute video, to allow voters and others “to get to know who I am, my family, MAPS, and my belief in “Country Before Party” and “Together We Can Do Better” - the two slogans for his election campaign.

A MAPS student, Luke McLean, made the video. It’s available at www.peterrosten.com