Movie buffs, there’s cool stuff coming out of the Orange County Regional History Center this month. Through May 16, a 3,500-square-foot exhibition highlights the nation’s rich entertainment history through more than 40 costumes, props and models from some of the most popular films and television shows spanning 60 years.

The exhibit, “Out of This World: Extraordinary Costumes from Film and Television,” includes memorabilia from “Star Wars,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Ghostbusters,” “The Terminator,” “Indiana Jones,” “Star Trek,” “Batman” and others. A complementary exhibit, “Lights! Camera! Action! Filming in Paradise,” showcases Florida’s surprising history in film and television. Visitors follow a Florida Walk of Fame into the exhibit and then visit a “set” to see what’s behind the scenes. In conjunction with “Out of This World,” the History Center also hosts a series of special events and programs.

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Personally, I’m not quite part of the age group, but I’m inching closer. (And hope to get there someday.) I have concerns, though.

In a recent national jobless report, the number of unemployed individuals age 55 and older rose to 2,082,000 in November, up 54 percent from November 2008 and the largest since the Bureau of Labor Statistics started keeping records for specific age groups. Also, experts in Florida say older job seekers are faced with unprecedented challenges, and many are on the verge of crisis.

Enter Experience Works, the nation’s largest nonprofit provider of community service, training and employment opportunities for older workers. Billy Wooten, Florida acting state director for the organization (www.experienceworks.org), offers this advice: Get technical. Then he makes a pitch: Through his Senior Community Service Employment Program, qualified participants receive self-assessments, technical and skills training, assistance with the job-search process and placement in an appropriate training assignment with a local community service agency. He adds that the number of older workers seeking assistance from Experience Works has increased an average of 33 percent over the last year.

The clock is ticking.

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This effort calls for a salute, if not a badge of honor: The Central Florida Council, Boy Scouts of America, this month completes its Scouting for Change coin drive service project.

Running from Dec. 1 through Feb. 5, the drive was conceived by the Central Florida Council's leadership to raise funds to help build schools in Nairobi, Kenya, which is considered the birthplace of Scouting. There, program founder Lord Robert Baden-Powell was thought to have envisioned Scouting’s ideals and fundamentals. In conjunction with the national organization’s celebration of 100 years of Scouting, coin-collection boxes were placed by Scouts and their parents at Regions Bank branches throughout Central Florida.

Among the community partners are Bright House Networks, Clear Channel Outdoor, Full Sail University, Regions Bank and Technetium Advertising & Web Design.

Young people doing good things — always worthy of attention.

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On the topic of kids, they have it made these days, too, at least when it comes to new schools.

Check this out: an entrance lobby designed with a glass wall to allow for natural light; an administrative suite located in the front of the school to allow for a secure view of the property; a media center, two computer labs and a closed-circuit television studio; a music classroom and an art room equipped with a kiln; and recreation areas that include a tot lot, a covered play area, a youth play area and two full-sized basketball courts, among other areas.

That’s what you’ll find at the $14.5 million, 101,639-square-foot Keene’s Crossing Elementary School in Windermere, designed by Orlando’s SchenkelShultz Architecture with Clancy & Theys Construction Co. of Orlando serving as construction manager.

Pretty plush.

Not coincidentally, SchenkelShultz is no stranger to school work. It has designed more than 33 million square feet of K-12 projects in Florida and was ranked as the No. 1 Educational Facilities Architect among Southeast Construction magazine’s 2009 Top Design Firms.

Lucky kids. When I was growing up, times were so tough … .

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First, the Burnham Institute for Medical Research at Lake Nona arrived to lead the way for the new medical city. Now, it’s taken another LEED, becoming the largest gold-certified independent scientific facility in Florida, as declared under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

The building was lauded by the council for its eco-friendly construction and commitment to sustainability. Highlights: Throughout the 175,000-square-foot structure, glazed windows transmit more than 50 percent of exterior light while blocking 75 percent of solar heat; with an east/west orientation, overhangs and shading devices on exterior walls, heat and sun reflection are minimized; and compared to a similar building, energy savings at Burnham at Lake Nona are equivalent to the average yearly consumption of 6,600 homes.

The science of being green.

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What’s this? Downtown Orlando adds a niche bar/restaurant that puts the accent on food?

OK, Ember and Urban Flats (see Parting Shot, page 38) hit the mark, and a few others come close enough, but I’m talking about a cozy space developed by former college buddies who are barely out of their 20s.

On the menu at the Downtown PourHouse: bison kefta for a snack, lobster grilled cheese for a sandwich and a guava BBQ burger (with gruyère cheese and yucca fries).

Particularly during happy hour, there’s the food of an upscale eatery and the feel of a friendly pub, partly thanks to an arrangement with nearby Gibson Guitar Corp., which sponsored the stage setup and provides two guitars for musicians who are easy on the ears.

One of the owners, Chuck Zell, says he wanted a neighborhood place that was at least a little “different” and welcomed all comers.        Judging by the daytime and evening crowds, a good s