Special Screening and Panel Discussion on “Race to Nowhere” at New Rochelle High School on January 6th

Written By: Talk of the Sound News

On January 6, 2011 at 7pm, Theater Works, the theater club at New Rochelle High School, is hosting a screening of “Race to Nowhere”.

Tickets are on sale now: $10 in advance or $15 at door

This hard-hitting educational documentary has been shown across the country and has raised difficult questions. Race to Nowhere shows what is actually happening to our kids as a result of current policies and practices obsessed with testing, performance and competition rather than meaningful teaching and learning. It spotlights the intersection of health and education. Additionally, it points to the silent epidemic in our schools: cheating has become commonplace; students are disengaged; stress-related illness and depression are rampant; and as a result, many young people arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired.

Race to Nowhere features the heartbreaking stories of young people in all types of communities who have been pushed to the brink, educators who are burned out and worried that students aren’t developing the skills they need, and parents who are trying to do what’s best for their kids. Vicki Abeles, first-time filmmaker, was inspired to make the film out of concern for her own children. Race to Nowhere is a call to action. After seeing the film, your views on education and childhood will forever be changed.

Following the film there will be a panel discussion.

Dr. Candida Fink will chair the panel. Dr. Fink has an adolescent psychiatric practice in New Rochelle. Also sitting on the panel will be Mr. William Evans, the principal of Albert Leonard Middle School; Ms. Virginia Gunther, a social studies teacher at NRHS who teaches among other things “Political Issues Through Film”; Mr. Jeffrey Hastie, a member of the New Rochelle Board of Education; Ms. Dorothy Larkin, a teacher of psychiatric Nursing at the College of New Rochelle who also has a private practice in psychiatric/mental health nursing; Dr. Amy Silverman, a child and adolescent psychiatrist with a practice in Harrison; Mrs. Cheryl Smith, a science teacher at ALMS and a member of the Somers Board of Education; and Dr. Ruth Zealand, the chair of the education department at the College of New Rochelle and a former principal. Members of the panel are also parents. One panel member has a 5-year old who is just beginning “the race” and others have students in middle school, high school and college.

Parents of students in Theater Works decided to host a screening of Race to Nowhere after seeing the documentary in November. “This is a powerful film which opens the eyes of its viewers. We wanted to bring it to our community, to open up a dialogue on the quality of life of our own students.”

All profits from the film will be used to offset the cost of New Rochelle High School’s Theater Works’ trip to Scotland where students will be performing in the American High School Theater festival. This is the third time that New Rochelle High School’s Theater Works has been invited to perform, which is unprecedented. Since there is no funding from the city or the school district, the cost of the trip is a hardship for some of our students. Bringing Race to Nowhere to New Rochelle is a win-win.

For tickets visit: http://rtnnewrochelle.eventbrite.com/

For more information, visit: www.racetonowhere.com