Sony Pictures Entertainment Volunteers in Campus Beautification Project at Culver City Middle School

CULVER CITY, Calif., April 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Pictures Entertainment (http://www.sonypictures.com) has joined with Los Angeles-based environmental nonprofit organization TreePeople (http://www.treepeople.org) and muralist David Legaspi III on a campus beautification project at Culver City Middle School on Wednesday, April 20.

"While our commitment to education and the environment are year round, we are always happy to have the occasion of Earth Day and Sony's Global Volunteer Day to rally the troops for a big project," said Janice Pober, Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Social Responsibility. "This year, it is an absolute pleasure to work with our old friends at TreePeople as well as the talented artist David Legaspi III to help beautify Culver City Middle School."

As part of the campus beautification project, the Culver City-based studio's employees will work alongside Legaspi on a mural he designed for the Culver City Middle School (CCMS). The school is home to a unique butterfly garden, which served as inspiration for the mural. The mural design features the butterfly and frog life cycles, a host of butterfly attracting plants and other wildlife found in Los Angeles County.

"I am proud to be a part of this project with Sony Pictures," said Legaspi. "My work is often influenced by nature, and this installation provided a perfect opportunity to celebrate the incredible garden at CCMS."

In addition, TreePeople Citizen Forester and John Rego – who is also Sony Pictures' Executive Director of Sustainability – will guide fellow employees in planting and caring for trees on the campus, and revitalizing the garden with a variety of native plants.  This includes performing maintenance on trees first planted by Sony Pictures employees more than 10 years ago.  John and other Sony Pictures employees will then continue caring for trees on the site as part of a Tree Care team.

"Sony Pictures has been one of our most committed and generous supporters for the last 20 years," said TreePeople Founder and President Andy Lipkis. "They were the first corporation to have their employees trained as TreePeople Citizen Foresters, leading the way for many others to roll up their sleeves and make a difference."

Volunteers from the company helped initially create the garden eleven years ago, and it continues to serve as a learning center and celebrated natural feature of the school.

"The students here love the butterfly garden and it's a wonderful learning opportunity," said the school's 6th Grade Science Teacher Carlene Daggett. "We are so grateful for Sony Pictures' continued support and the hard work of all of the employees."

A culturally diverse and environmentally active learning community, Culver City Middle School (grades 6, 7, and 8) is the only Middle School in Culver City. It strives to ensure that students are provided a challenging educational program that will foster integrity, respect, and a passion for success in an ever-changing global environment.

TreePeople is a nonprofit that unites the power of trees, people and technology to grow a sustainable future for the Los Angeles region. TreePeople's mission is to inspire, engage and support people to take personal responsibility for the urban environment, making it safe, healthy, fun and sustainable and to share the process as a model for the world. More information at http://www.treepeople.org.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation.  SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 140 countries.  Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

SOURCE Sony Pictures Entertainment