PAST YOUTH PROGRAMS
From the beginning, youth environmental education was central to the Philadelphia Environmental Film Festival (PHEFF).
Between 2017 and 2022, PHEFF:
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Curated dozens of entertaining short and feature films aimed at young people;
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sponsored school trips to the theater so students could watch films and take part in specially-created interactive programs;
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funded and distributed curriculum guides for select films;
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distributed outstanding enviro films directly to participating schools;
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awarded juried “student film” prizes as part of the annual festival;
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developed hands-on workshops for young aspiring filmmakers; and
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brought in filmmakers of youth-oriented films to talk to young audiences.
2022 Youth Film Program
For the 2022 film festival, PHEFF contracted with the Philadelphia Film Society to run a youth film program that reached 1,300 Philadelphia-area elementary, middle, and high school students from 24 schools.
1,300
STUDENTS
24
SCHOOLS
Each film was paired with a teacher’s guide containing info on media literacy, youth activism, and biodiversity/climate change.
The guides included discussion prompts and suggestions for pre- and post-screening classroom activities and additional reading. Students praised the program, with 78% saying they learned something new, and 90% of the teachers rating the program as 5/5, with 100% expressing interest in participating again. All teachers surveyed said the program being free was a top factor in their ability to participate.
Kids’ Planet Program (2017–2021)
As part of the annual film festival, PHEFF presented an entertaining half-day program of environmental films and hands-on activities for hundreds of middle-grade Philadelphia-area students. Programs included films by and for kids; lesson plans on plastic pollution and other topics; in-person Q&As with film directors; and fun activities designed to spark interest in environmentalism and filmmaking.
Partners included the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center, PhillyCAM, and Philadelphia School District’s Green Futures team. One year the kids even had a surprise visit from the Phillie Phanatic!