Divided Attention
USA // 2022 // Documentary // LOS FEATURES
WORLD PREMIERE
A documentary film profiling four Toby Farms Middle School students participating in a mindfulness program to learn emotional and behavioral regulation skills with the goal of mitigating punitive practices. Divided Attention seeks to demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating programs like this into the school environment. Due to COVID restrictions, the film also actively involved the participating students by self-capturing their journey at home.
Divided Attention explores the context behind the obstacles the Chester-Upland School District has faced in the last 70 years–complicating the approval and funding of programs like those which combat the school-to-prison pipeline. This is a call-to-action to address inequitable school funding.
Director: Stephanie Ramones
Producer: Nicole Mendez, Laura Deutch, Sergio Galeano, Ariel Taylor, Gretjen Clausing
Documentary
English (subtitles unavailable)
73 minutes
The Education Advocacy Program at Delaware County Advocacy and Resource Organization (DCARO) organizes a Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council (PADDC) project aimed at combating the School-to-Prison Pipeline. The program serves the Chester-Upland School district by providing teacher and student training in research proven techniques (Mindfulness and Collaborative and Proactive Solutions) to develop emotional and behavioral regulation skills with the goal of ameliorating punitive practices.
PhillyCAM, a noncommercial community media organization, in partnership with DCARO, produced this documentary film to profile Toby Farms middle school students who participate in the mindfulness program in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating programs like this into the school environment.