PORTLAND, Ore. — On Thursday, Sept. 12 at 10:30 p.m., KGW will air “Inside Woodlawn”, a special program that will begin a year-long project inside a Portland elementary school. It will follow the airing of a feature-length documentary “LOVE THEM FIRST: Lessons from Lucy Laney Elementary” at 9:00 p.m.
Inside Woodlawn
“Inside Woodlawn” will mark the beginning of a year-long project at KGW. Investigative reporter Cristin Severance will spend the next year inside Portland’s Woodlawn Elementary School to tell the amazing stories of students, staff and the changing community.
“This is an incredible opportunity to tell real stories of students, staff and families in a vibrant elementary school,” said Severance. “Schools do so much more than teach, let’s show all that they do.”
Through Severance’s stories, KGW viewers will get to know the students, staff and community at Woodlawn and see important, impactful stories about education today.
“KGW is dedicated to telling real and compelling stories of our community,” said KGW News Director Greg Retsinas. “We’re excited to share these stories as we spend an entire year embedded inside Woodlawn.”
Love Them First: Lessons from Lucy Laney Elementary
“LOVE THEM FIRST” follows a Minneapolis school where more than 80 percent of students live near or below the poverty line. When the school encounters a heartbreaking setback, principal Mauri Friestleben is forced to confront the true measure of student success in a story about inspiration, heartbreak, perseverance and the power of love.
“The film offers a glimpse into the heart and soul of the passionate educators in Minneapolis Public Schools and beyond,” said Friestleben. “It is our hope viewers see the film not as Lucy Laney's story—but the story of us all."
"LOVE THEM FIRST" was produced by KARE 11, a TEGNA-owned station in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
About KGW
KGW is the NBC affiliate in Portland, Oregon serving Oregon and Southwest Washington. KGW’s award-winning website, KGW.com, and its mobile app KGW News, provide breaking news, traffic and weather information to consumers on demand. KGW also operates a low- power station, KGWZ. KGW is owned and operated by TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) a broadcasting, digital media and marketing services company. TEGNA and KGW serve the greater good of Oregon and Southwest Washington, across platforms, by telling empowering stories, conducting impactful investigations and delivering innovative marketing solutions. For more information, visit www.TEGNA.com.