What's On Your Plate?
6 Sep 2011
Junk food may be tasty and cheap, but it's not good for your health and can lead to complications like obesity and diabetes. Bronx Prep students address this problem in the short documentary film WHAT'S ON YOUR PLATE.
From Mean to Green
22 Aug 2011
Many neighborhoods in the Bronx are still recovering from the rampant crime and poverty that afflicted the area in the '70s and '80s. Spurred by increased community involvement, progress in the movement to restore the South Bronx has been slow but noticeable. Inspired by locally led beautification efforts, and with the assistance of Tribeca Teaches, the middle school students of Bronx Preparatory Charter School created FROM MEAN TO GREEN, a documentary short that explores the progress made in restoring Crotona Park, and encourages residents to take an active role in their communities.
Lost in Language
22 Aug 2011
Navigating the tangled social arrangements of junior high school can be tricky, and when English is not your native language, things can be even trickier. LOST IN LANGUAGE explores the challenges faced by a group of recent young Chinese immigrants at MS 131 in learning the English language.
Just For Lunch
22 Aug 2011
Children at school love to complain about the quality (or lack thereof) of their school lunches. The pizza is cold, the milk is warm, and the meat is mysterious. In short, the food served on those Styrofoam trays is nothing like what your mother used to make, and when your mother is more likely to make stir fry than fried chicken, the differences are even more shocking! Inspired by New York City Council Member Margaret Chin’s crusade to improve the quality of school lunches, as part of Tribeca Teaches, the 8th grade students of MS 131 in Chinatown created JUST FOR LUNCH, a documentary short that takes a look at the food served in their own cafeteria.
Chinatown Dreaming
22 Aug 2011
While thousands of visitors and tourists flock to Chinatown every week to shop and eat, those who actually make their home in the neighborhood have to deal with cramped housing, an enormous amount of traffic and other living condition issues. The 7th grade students of MS 131 created CHINATOWN DREAMING, which touches on these problems and what is being to solve them, including the Clean Streets program led by Dr. Wellington Chen. As the young narrator of this film puts it, "We have dream for Chinatown."
Puppy Love
22 Aug 2011
To the newly immigrated students at MS 131 in Chinatown, American displays of public affection are strange and disturbing. The students at Pace High School in the same building see those displays as perfectly natural. Fascinated by the cultural differences between American and Chinese expressions of love, and assisted by Tribeca Teaches, a media arts program that introduces New York City middle school students to documentary filmmaking, the 7th grade students of MS 131 created PUPPY LOVE, a documentary short that compares their attitudes about love to those displayed by their counterparts at Pace.
Just Like Us
22 Aug 2011
Race, gender, weight and appearance can all be the basis for discrimination and bullying in schools. The students of Bronx Prep created the short documentary JUST LIKE US about what's being done to combat bullying, promote tolerance and create a safe, comfortable environment for everyone.
Love, Hate and Weight
22 Aug 2011
Weight can have a significant effect on self image and self esteem, especially in school, and media only adds to this. LOVE, HATE AND WEIGHT, a short documentary created by the students of CAMBA in Brooklyn, looks at body image struggles and forming a strong, secure identity regardless of how much or little you weigh.
The Color of Peace
22 Aug 2011
Dance troupes can offer a way for a group of young people to combat gang violence in their community. THE COLOR OF PEACE, created by the students of CAMBA in Brooklyn, looks at some of the reasons kids join gangs, as well as the titular group of dancers and their goal of combating gang violence.
Up Close and Personal
22 Aug 2011
Websites like Facebook and Twitter have consumed an ever-increasing portion of the time that we spend online. They allow us to share information, stay in contact with friends, and make new acquaintances online. But for students at Bronx Preparatory Charter School and around the country, social media websites can also have a dark side, which provided the inspiration for UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, a documentary short that examines cyberbullying and their own use of social networks.
