Michael Schneider
Daily Variety
Nickelodeon’s teen-centric net The N has greenlit a kid makeover skein to be hosted by world class athlete Laila Ali.
“The N’s Student Body,” from Reveille, follows a group of teens as they attempt to change their own lives – from diet and exercise to volunteering and academics – as well as the lives of their friends and families.
The cabler, which goes 24-hours, 7-days-a-week effective December 31, has ordered eight episodes of the show, most of which has already been shot.
Taped in Decatur, Ill., show pits 12 kids from two rival high schools against each other. The teams are divided into groups of six, repping each school.
From there, the kids compete in challenges such as building a park, or fixing their high school. Teens aren’t eliminated traditionally, but will be occasionally removed if their performance isn’t up to snuff.
Winning school will receive $25,000, while a winning teen will also receive $25,000 to put toward their college education.
Ali, recently seen as a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars,” will serve as a mentor to the teens in addition to hosting the show. The N will launch “Student Body” sometime in 2008.
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