WXXI’S COMMUNITY CINEMA PRESENTS “THE GRADUATES/LOS GRADUADOS,” AT THE LITTLE THEATRE SEPTEMBER 30

WXXI Public Broadcasting

280 State Street. PO Box 30021

Rochester, New York 14603-3021

585/325-7500

wxxi.org

Kristin Tutino, Publicist: 585/258-0253

For Immediate Release

WXXI’S COMMUNITY CINEMA PRESENTS “THE GRADUATES/LOS GRADUADOS,” AT 
THE LITTLE THEATRE SEPTEMBER 30 
A Film Exploring Issues in Education Today through the Eyes of Young Latinos

(Rochester, NY) September 26, 2013 –WXXI will host a free screening of The Graduates/Los Graduados, an eye-opening documentary on the challenges facing Latino students, on Monday, September 30 at 7:00 p.m. at the Little Theatre (240 East Avenue). Part of WXXI’s Community Cinema series, the film will be followed by a panel discussion led by WXXI News’ Carlet Cleare with Amalia Dache-Gerbino, Ph.D. Candidate at The University of Rochester in Educational Leadership; Rich Paufler, Coordinator of the Student Family Support Center at East High School; and Angel Lopez, a Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection participant and 2013 graduate of Monroe High School who currently attends Monroe Community College for Hospitality Management. The event is free, and open to the public. Seats are available on a first come, first served basis.

The Graduates/Los Graduados, a special from filmmaker Bernardo Ruiz, explores the many roots of the Latino dropout crisis through the eyes of six inspiring young students from across the United States who are part of an on-going effort to increase graduation rates for a growing Latino population. Much more than a survey of contemporary policy debates, the student profiles in The Graduates offer a first-hand perspective on the challenges facing many Latino high school students, including over-crowded schools, crime-ridden neighborhoods, teen pregnancy, and pressure to contribute to the family finances. The Graduates/Los Graduados is an eye-opening introduction to many of the determined and resilient young people who will shape America’s future.

This screening is supported locally by Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection and First Niagara Foundation.  Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection is a nationally recognized 26-year-old youth development program that helps at-risk secondary school students stay in school and earn their high school diploma, while providing invaluable part-time work experience and job skills to help prepare them for life after graduation.

The Graduates/Los Graduados premieres on WXXI-TV  Monday, October 28 at 10 p.m.  Part two the of the two-part series airs Monday, November 4 at 10 p.m. The program will also be presented in Spanish on the Spanish-language channel V-me and online at PBS.org. The film is part of American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen, a long-term public media commitment, supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), to help communities implement solutions to the high school dropout crisis.

Community Cinema is presented by ITVS and funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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WXXI is the essential, life-long educational media resource for the Greater Rochester area. WXXI puts the community first with programming that stimulates and expands thought, inspires the spirit, opens cultural horizons and promotes understanding of diverse community issues. The formal affiliation between WXXI and the Little Theatre, established in December 2011, enables the two organizations to work more efficiently by pooling resources and strengths in a number of areas including back-office operation and improved fundraising capabilities.  Log on to wxxi.org for more information about our services and programs.