The Joplin High School’s FLEX program for struggling students has been selected as one of six schools across the country to be featured in a documentary and social media campaign called “Undroppable,” with the goal of raising awareness about what is being called a dropout epidemic. The project shares the stories of students across the country who are graduating from schools facing hardships.
“We’re really making film through the eyes of graduates,” filmmaker Jason Pollock said. “It’s a story about why we have the dropout problem but through students who are graduates who have been through a lot. We knew everybody in Joplin had that. I felt like it was an important place to go and give students a voice.”
Pollock said he hopes the project will grow to become a global movement. Producers of the documentary and campaign include singer Justin Bieber’s manager and the director of “Anchorman 2.”
“Our focus is meeting the needs of those kids as they continue in school,” said Superintendent C.J. Huff. “A lot of issues these kids have in dropping out has as much to do with their life experiences outside of school as it does inside school, and we’re in the fortunate position of helping students get an education, and that’s important.”
For the social media campaign and online videos, Pollock said the project’s producers “wanted it to be a place where everybody feels they’ve gotten some platform.”
The film will feature Joplin students who struggled but did graduate from high school, including students who were bullied, survived the tornado, went through foster homes, had substance abuse problems, or were teen parents.
Those featured from Joplin are students Aaron Harper, Braden Showers, Hannah Cady, Jacob Harper, Jade Roeder, Kaitlyn Hermann, Stormie Chandler and teacher David Armstrong.
“We love Joplin and we met so many amazing students there,” Pollock said. “When other kids hear these stories, they will make them want to stay in school, too.”
The filmmakers hope to release the documentary in early 2013.
Other schools in the documentary include Collins Academy High School in Chicago; Des Moines East High School in Des Moines, Iowa; New Bedford High School and Whaling City Junior/Senior Alternative School in New Bedford, Mass.; Academy at Palumbo Liberal Arts High School in Philadelphia; and La Causa Charter School in Los Angeles.
Local News
Joplin students featured in education campaign, documentary
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