About the Class

The Randolph Area Narrative and Documentary Film Class (RAND) addresses the challenges faced by young people in our community: the contributing personal and environmental factors, and the ways youth develop resiliency in the face of those challenges. In this Project-Based Learning class, the films are the final product, but students didn't start making films until the very end of the year.  We first worked to build a foundation of trust in our own heterogeneous classroom. It is upon this foundation that we can effectively engage challenging topics. We then built our skills as storytellers and social scientists, through reading, writing and film study. In researching the challenges faced by youth in our community, among the most important ingredients in our investigations were the citizens & experts that came in for presentations, round-table discussions and interviews.  We are grateful for the community contributions and support, which helped make the student films possible.   This class was the product of a partnership between Randolph Union High School, Prevent Child Abuse VT, and the Vermont Folklife Center.   Please contact any of us for more information or to arrange a showing. Deb Lary, Health Educator, Randolph Union T. Elijah Hawkes, Co-Principal, Randolph Union Johanna Straavaldsen, Prevent Child Abuse VT Scott Miller, Education Project Coordinator & Digital Media Instructor, Vermont Folklife Center