Award-winning Filmmaker Shines Light on Academic Pressure

On Wednesday, April 6th, the Scarsdale community will welcome education advocate and award-winning documentary film maker Vicki Abeles to speak about systemic stress, the obsession with achievement in America's schools, and the toll on our students' well-being. The event, jointly sponsored by the Scarsdale Parent Teacher Council, the Scarsdale PTAs, the Scarsdale High School Compact Committee and the Scarsdale Public Library, will take place at 7:30 pm at The Scarsdale Middle School.

Ms. Abeles is the creator of the 2010 ground-breaking education documentary Race to Nowhere, which called to challenge the current thinking about how we prepare children for success, featuring the heartbreaking stories of students across the country who have been pushed to the brink by over-scheduling, over-testing and the relentless pressure to achieve. On April 6th, Ms. Abeles will present the latest research and data on the highly charged topic of stress and will offer thought provoking solutions to reclaiming our children's education. Following her presentation, Ms. Abeles will answer questions and will be available to sign copies of her new book Beyond Measure.

"This program will continue to raise community awareness about the effects of stress on our students and dovetails with the in-depth work that has been going on at Scarsdale High School over the past two years regarding overall student wellness," says Scarsdale High School PTA President Margaret Smith. "The High School recently surveyed the entire student body on their experiences with stress. Discussions among faculty, parents, and students are underway to thoughtfully engage on addressing concerns about these topics."

Community members can view Ms. Abeles' award-winning film Race to Nowhere at The Scarsdale Public Library on Wednesday, March 30th. There will be 2 showings at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm. High school students are welcome to attend.

In addition, residents can learn more about these topics in advance of Ms. Abeles' presentation by visiting www.beyondmeasurefilm.com or by reading Ms. Abeles' new book Beyond Measure, which lays bare the striking evidence that America's obsessive achievement culture is making our children sicker, not smarter. With in-depth research, personal anecdotes, and a dose of common sense, it shows communities how to realize their collective power to change the system to better reflect our true values: health, happiness, and genuine learning for our children.

For more information about this event, please contact Scarsdale PT Council program coordinators Amy Cooper (arcooper@optonline.net) or Jennifer Rossano (jenrossano@verizon.net.)