Boys Arts Mentoring demonstrates how schools can use the arts to improve outcomes for middle school boys of color.

Interview with Director Louisa Castrodale

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I wanted to showcase the groundbreaking work our school district is doing with using the arts to serve middle school boys of color.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

To understand that the suspension and expulsion rates for students of color is disproportionate and that school districts are looking for innovative ways to motivate and engage students, so that students stay in school and successfully graduate.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

That it is the job of educators to serve their students, and we best serve them when we are culturally relevant and we provide meaningful and effective mentors and experiences.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

We shot the BAM program in action at two different school sites so that the audience can see what the program looks like. Then, we asked one of our five artists to act as a spokesperson and answer questions about being a BAM artist in residence.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

We have been using this film to present inside of the school district to school administrators and at educational conferences on the arts and/or dropout prevention. People are highly interested in the program and seeing it via the film.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

I am encouraged by how supportive people are of the work we are doing. It has generated interest and funding streams for the program.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

To inspire other artists/educators to use their gifts to help underserved youth.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Journalists who might want to investigate and report on the BAM program.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I want to inspire and motivate others to innovate programming for young people.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

How are the arts a vehicle for positive change in education?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

We are working on an expansion of this program in the coming year.

Interview: March 2019

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

Boys Arts Mentoring

Boys Arts Mentoring demonstrates how schools can use the arts to improve outcomes for middle school boys of color.

Length: 3:43

Director: Louisa Castrodale

Producer: Louisa Castrodale

Writer: Louisa Castrodale

About the writer, director and producer:

LOUISA CASTRODALE is an educator, published poet and award-winning artist. After fifteen years as a classroom teacher for PSUSD, she was named the Teacher on Special Assignment for the Visual and Performing Arts. After seven years of establishing and building programs, Louisa was promoted to Arts Coordinator. In her current position, she oversees all supplemental arts programming in art, music, dance, theater and fashion. She is the Chairperson of the Galen Allocation Fund at Rancho Mirage High School. Her mission is to create access to high-quality arts experiences for students in Palm Springs Unified School District, including the Boys Arts Mentoring program which she founded this past year.

Key cast: Tysen Knight, Spokesperson for Boys Arts Mentoring

Looking for: journalists

Instagram: @artshare_psusd

Website: Palms Springs Unified School District

Made in association with: College of the Desert - Film Students Carli Holland and Asia Bridges

Funders: Funded by Palm Springs Unified School District