FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Documentary on Why After School Programs are Socially and Economically Advantageous.
Winchester, MA, March 14, 2014 – The National Institute for Student-Centered Education (NISCE) and Schools for Children, Inc. (SFC) in partnership with Northeastern University College of Professional Services will host a screening of the critically acclaimed documentary “Brooklyn Castle” on March 27, 2014 at the Regent Theatre, in Arlington, MA.
Winner of the Audience Award at the 2012 SXSW Film Festival “Brooklyn Castle”tells the stories of five members of the chess team at a below-the-poverty-line inner city junior high school that has won more national championships than any other in the country. The film follows the challenges these kids face in their personal lives as well as on the chessboard, and is as much about the sting of their losses as it is about the anticipation of their victories.
Through the inspirational stories of its characters, “Brooklyn Castle” illustrates that the “extra” in extra curricular activities are not “extra —they are essential to the teaching of what Principal Rubino calls “the whole child.” As Patrick’s story vividly demonstrates, programs like the chess team can be an indispensable way to open the door for all kinds of learning.
According to a study conducted by the Afterschool Alliance and sponsored by the JCPenny Afterschool Fund, each afternoon across the U.S., 15 million children–more than a quarter of our children–are alone and unsupervised after school. The parents of 18 million would enroll their children in an afterschool program, if one were available. Research continues to show that after school programs and enrichment activities improves student engagement and learning, improves test scores, and helps to lower the achievement gap.
“NISCE is proud to host a screening of this movie. We find it important to bring to the surface issues impacting the ability to teach our children in environments that are supportive and empowering. We hope, through our dialogue, we can contribute to finding ways to improve our children’s educational experiences and getting them re-engaged in their education and future,” states Theodore Wilson, Ph.D., Executive Director of NISCE.
After the film, Melina O’Grady, Ed.M., Education Consultant, will reflect on the film’s message and lead a discussion with the audience. Melina has over 20 years experience working with youth and youth programs in Boston and San Francisco, focusing her work on arts education, adjudicated youth, girls programming and afterschool education.
Screening Details:
Thursday, March 27, 2014
6:30 p.m. – 9.00 p.m.
Regent Theatre, 7 Medford, Street, Arlington, MA 02474
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FILM SERIES CONTACT
Alyssa Kierkegaard, NISCE Program Director
alyssa@nisce.org
PRESS CONTACT
Melanie Tringali, Marketing Director
mtringali@schoolsforchildreninc.org
ABOUT NISCE
Founded in 2012 by the Massachusetts nonprofit Schools for Children, Inc., The National Institute for Student-Centered Education (NISCE) seeks to to catalyze grassroots support for a vision of education where students—not politics, not tests, not expediency—are at the center of learning, and where all students have the opportunities and resources they need to succeed. For more information visit www.nisce.org.
ABOUT SCHOOLS FOR CHILDREN, INC.
Schools for Children, Inc. is a Massachusetts nonprofit organization that creates and manages great schools and educational services. For more information, please visit www.schoolsforchildreninc.org.
ABOUT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
The College of Professional Studies at Northeastern fosters a learning environment for students where programs taught are grounded in theory and applied in practice.
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