World War II Movie Premiere Scheduled for Friday

[Editor's note: The following was submitted by the Partnership for Community Schools in Malden.]

The Partnership for Community Schools in Malden (PCSM) is pleased to announce that the movie premiere of My Generation: World War II Project will take place this Friday, June 10 at 7 p.m. at the Jenkins Auditorium at Malden High School. The project, which was sponsored by the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, is part of PCSM’s engaging middle school after school program called Channel Surfing.

The movie is a compilation of interviews conducted with World War II veterans from Malden, including one veteran who landed on the beaches on D-Day, another who survived being shot three times, one veteran who served as a medic in the Pacific Rim, another who served on a destroyer in the Battle of Guadalcanel, and more. Included in the movie are outtakes as the students learned about World War II, practiced using the video equipment, and spoke about their impressions of their interviews. But perhaps most important, the movie allows us to thank all veterans for their service to our country, and memorializes their war experiences.

As a result of the work of the students, the veteran’s stories will be forever archived in the Library of Congress. In May, six My Generation students traveled to Washington, DC to present their work to the Library.

In addition, they had the opportunity to present their work and speak with Senator John Kerry and Senator Scott Brown. Images from their trip to Washington are also included in the movie.

The Malden Public Schools, the City of Malden, and the Partnership for Community Schools in Malden are very proud of the work the students completed throughout the year. During the year, students not only learned about the War and its impact on our society, but the students also learned interviewing techniques, listening skills, they learned how to work as a team, and they learned more about their community.

This project is typical of the type of after school program encouraged by the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) grant. 21st CCLC programs engage young people in challenging, creative, hands-on, project-based activities that connect to and support school day programming while promoting self-expression, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. 21st CCLC programs provide participants with the opportunity to internalize their learning and gain a greater understanding of content areas by embedding academics into rich and engaging activities.

The Partnership for Community Schools in Malden (PCSM) embraces these philosophies in all of its before and after school programs. These programs were first launched in 2000 and have grown to serve more than 650 students. PCSM is committed to improving academic performance and decreasing risky behaviors among Malden’s youth through expanded learning program. More information is available at www.maldencommunityschools.org. Program Director, Karen Steele, is one of just 18 Afterschool Ambassadors around the country, named this year by the Afterschool Alliance – a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs.