As part of our monthly Education Screenings Program, Cinema/Chicago hosted 9 CPS schools at Columbia College Chicago for Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster’s documentary Science Fair. Filmmakers followed nine high school students from around the globe as they competed at an international science fair and faced off against 1,700 of the smartest teens from 78 countries – with only one honored as Best in Fair!
Kartemquin Films’ Risé Sanders-Weir and Northwestern University Professor Clayton Brown joined Cinema/Chicago’s Rosie Galicia for a post-screening Q&A where the students engaged in STEM related topics (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), correlating the relationship between science and technology with the creative arts.
When asked if anyone in the audience was interested in pursuing STEM or Arts in the future, multiple students expressed that the resources to become involved in those fields (like engineering, music, film, etc) weren’t readily available to them at their schools. This point brought up a larger conversation regarding community resources and how to better provide a well-rounded education for the youth particularly within the city of Chicago.
The participating CPS educators received a study guide of discussion questions for their students to further reflect on the film and post-screening conversation. Based on the received responses, the students now have a growing interest in the fields of STEM for the future. The study guide can be downloaded here.
212 W Van Buren St., Suite 400
