(May 7, 2009, New Orleans, La.) - A free screening of the Leonard Smith III film "A Legend in the Classroom: The Life Story of Ms. Yvonne Busch," based on University of New Orleans historian Al Kennedy's book, will be held on Saturday, May 16 at 1 p.m. in  Room 203 of the Bicentennial Education Center on the UNO Lakefront Campus.

The 45-minute film, based on Kennedy's book, "Chord Changes on the Chalkboard: How Public School Teachers Shaped Jazz and the Music of New Orleans," won the Ava Platinum Award, the Hermes Gold Award and the Telly Bronze Award. Kennedy is a UNO history instructor and a research associate at the UNO Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies.

"A Legend in the Classroom" was produced and directed by Smith, Busch's former band student at Carver Senior High School. Hal Clark, host of the WYLD FM radio show "Sunday Journal," narrates the film.

Busch's former band students include: saxophonist James Rivers, composer and instrumentalist for the Clint Eastwood films "The Bridges of Madison County," "Bird" and "Tightrope;" jazz drummer Herlin Riley of The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra; George Davis, the original guitarist in the Broadway production of "A Chorus Line," drummers Joseph "Smokey" Johnson, John Boudreaux, James Black, Sullivan Dabney, Herb Taylor, Ernie Elly and Tony Bazley; and New Orleans music legends James "Sugarboy" Crawford, Theron Lewis and Porgy Jones.

The University of New Orleans (UNO), the urban research University of the State of Louisiana, provides essential support for the educational, economic, cultural and social well-being of the culturally rich and diverse New Orleans metropolitan area. It opened its doors in 1958 as part of the Louisiana State University System "to bring public-supported higher education to Louisiana's largest urban community." Today, UNO offers 43 undergraduate degree programs, 37 masters, and 11 doctoral programs. The 340-acre main campus sits on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, offering easy access to all parts of the metro area. For more information, visit www.uno.edu.

Johanna M. Schindler

Director of Public Relations

(504) 280-6939

Fax (504) 280-1080

jschindl@uno.edu