Here is some copy from a press release I sent out to local media. Feel free to copy and edit to fit your needs.
On Wednesday, May 28, 53 York School 10th Graders will present their work in a year-long project in their English class called 20Time. Modeled after Google’s policy of providing their engineers 20% of their time to work on independent projects, which helped launch some of Google’s most innovative services, York 10th graders spend 20% of their time in English pursuing an their own independent project. Throughout the year they solved real-world problems or worked to help others through service projects, inspiring creations, or innovative start-ups.
These students started the project by submitting a formal proposal to be judged by the class, and each week they blogged about the process. The entire project culminates at the end of the year with 20Time Talks, an event inspired by the TED conference. These students will present their projects in five-minute presentations designed to inspire others to shape their world through careful design, persistence, and ingenuity.
Examples of 20Time projects include a girl who created a community of over 1,000 teenage book fanatics on her YouTube channel, a boy who produced a documentary movie about his experience spending one month confined to a wheelchair, and a pair of students who designed a program bringing student singers to delight residents of local nursing homes.
What: York School 20 Time Talks
When: Wednesday, May 28
Session 1, 10:00-11:00
Session 2, 11:15-12:15
Session 3, 1:00-2:15
Session 4, 2:30-3:45
Where: York School Gatanaga Theatre
9501 York Road
Monterey, CA 93940
The event is free and open to the public.