Deer Lakes School District is one of 17 schools across Southwestern Pennsylvania participating in the creation of an animated feature-length film about confronting ecological problems.

Each school is writing a segment of the film. Deer Lakes Middle School is focusing on deforestation.

The idea was developed by Terry Thoren, CEO of Wonder Media and creator of the animated series “Rugrats,” “All Grown Up” and “The Wild Thornberrys.” Thoren has found that animation is one of the most effective ways to engage children in learning, writing and storytelling.

“Finding Stories of Wonder in the Land of Oz” is a twist on the traditional “Wizard of Oz” story. In this version, Dorothy and her friends develop solutions to serious ecological problems impacting daily life. Their solutions are steeped in the combination of science and technology.

Students have the opportunity to develop skills in storytelling, storyboard development, producing, voice acting and writing.

The film will premiere at a red-carpet event May 23 at Avonworth High School.

“When students turn their stories into scripts, they must read them out loud as a part of the process. When young writers ‘hear’ their written words spoken, the words become relevant,” Thoren said. “Young writers learn from Wonder Media’s team of professionals and from each other as they create, collaborate, and give and receive feedback.

“This project provides an engaging platform for each student to find their voice and become skilled at communicating ideas and concepts. And by the time we roll out the red carpet to celebrate their work, we will have observed growth in multiple areas of both academic and social emotional learning.”

The film is made possible by a $50,000 grant from The Grable Foundation and is part of Remake Learning Days, a national program. The Southwestern Pennsylvania events take place from May 1 to 23.

The idea for the film started with a pilot program of nine school districts: Deer Lakes, Beaver, Brownsville, Elizabeth Forward, Fox Chapel Area, Keystone Oaks, New Castle Area, Shaler Area and South Allegheny.

Once other school districts got word of the opportunity, they were clamoring to join. The number of districts involved nearly doubled and now sits at 17.

“Students are able to express what they are learning about in school in a medium that they love,” said Ryan Rydzewski, communications officer at The Grable Foundation.

Four Deer Lakes Middle School students — Joshua Lengyel, Shane Engwer, Jacob Jimerson and Jenson Herr — had the opportunity to be part of the film production.

“Over the course of six months, students embarked on a creative, hands-on project to produce a two- to three-minute cinematic scene spotlighting the issue of deforestation,” said Kevin Hughes, a Deer Lakes Middle School teacher.

They took full ownership of the filmmaking process and developed the original story, carefully selected sound effects and royalty-free music, and designed visual backgrounds, Hughes said.

“Their work was grounded in in-depth research, giving them a meaningful understanding of deforestation’s environmental consequences,” he said. “The final product not only brings these impacts to life on screen but also presents thoughtful, actionable steps people can take to raise awareness and make a difference.”

The film also has inspired collaboration, as vanloads of students and teachers have been going to different schools to work together, Rydzewski said.

Rydzewski cited a motto that he said Thoren often invokes: “So much of the work done is better when it is done together.”

“Kids often don’t get the opportunity to come together and collaborate outside of sports, so it has created a ton of opportunities for kids to get to know each other,” Rydzewski said.

The project brings student learning alive and celebrates them in ways that students can be proud of, Rydzewski said. It sets them up with real-world skills that encourage learning beyond just the classroom.

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