A Lakeland High School alumnus embarking on a career in the entertainment industry hopes to offer rising ninth-graders a unique opportunity for accruing required community service hours.

Le’Auntray Burch said he has asked school district officials to allow students to volunteer as extras on the teen drama-thriller he’s developing as a path toward some of the 50 hours’ community service students will require for graduation.

“Administrators are still discussing the details with Burch into when and where this production will be done, and its benefit to the community,” school district spokeswoman Bethanne Bradshaw stated.

Burch, who works at Chesapeake Square Cinemark and studies entertainment at Full Sail University, said he has been working on the project since 2009.

“I’ve been trying to manage work, school and getting the TV show done,” he said.

The show’s original name, “The Feelers,” has been changed to “Lakeland,” which Burch said reflects its metamorphosis from a purely supernatural theme — alien-teachers attempting to take over the school — to also taking on teen issues such as pregnancy and alcohol abuse.

“We intertwine those stories together,” he said.

Burch said a sales representative from CW-27, which typically runs only paid programming, has agreed to air a trial episode free of charge.

“This was something exciting for her that she wanted to explore,” Burch said, adding there’s a possibility the station will purchase future episodes.

“The show will air and they will see how many people are tuning in to it,” he said.

In order to fulfill the school district’s requirement that community service activities need to benefit the community, work on the show will be paired with an anti-smoking campaign, with public service announcements for CW-27 produced in tandem.

“The community service isn’t necessarily the shooting,” Burch said. “By working on this, they (students) can write, direct and produce their own (anti-smoking announcement) spots. It’s for students that have a strong interest in film and television.”

Burch aims to start filming the first five episodes in September, shooting outside school hours. Lots of extras will be required, he said.

The Lakeland grad said he has poured a lot of his own money into the project. He’s lost track of how much.

He said he would like to see local businesses support the project and has invited anyone interested to a meet-and-greet with the cast and crew at the Applebee’s on North Suffolk’s College Drive on July 27 from 10 a.m.