Introducing New ByKids Films

The PenPal Schools team is excited to announce the addition of four new documentary films and companion lessons to one of our most popular PenPal Schools topics: The World Through My Eyes.

Since we launched this topic in 2016, over ten thousand students have discussed these important documentary films with PenPals! Each documentary film is made by kids and focuses on an important social, political, economic, or an environmental issue. The four new films focus on criminal justice reform in the United States, the refugee crisis in Syria, how climate change affects coffee growers in Nicaragua, and how a community in Senegal is standing up for young women.

12-year-old Edelsin Linette Mendez shares her story in the new BYkids film ‘My Beautiful Nicaragua.’

17-year-old Mohammad Shasho shares his story in the new BYkids film ‘Out of Aleppo.’

These few films are sure to generate thoughtful discussions about important issues affecting vulnerable communities around the world. Each film is accompanied by a companion text which helps students learn about the topic and develop key vocabulary. The updated companion lessons also include new project ideas and great ways for students to share these documentary films with their school community.

What Students and Teachers are saying about BYkids films:

“I love that it gets my students out of the classroom. We live in a little rural town and everybody thinks the same. It’s hard for me to show them that not everyone lives like they live or thinks like they think. We did The World Through My Eyes, and they could not believe it. They didn’t think they were real people who really lived that way. They didn’t understand it. It’s great to open them up to things they can’t image.”
-Teacher & PenPal Schools Global Ambassador Deanna Horsens

“My favorite BYkids film I would want to share with my community is the 'Home Is Where You Find It' video because it is very inspirational to listen to about the life of Alcides and other orphan kids that have had their parents die of AIDS. It teaches viewers the struggle of the children with parents that have died of AIDS and really makes everyone appreciate how much they have in life.”
-Student from North Carolina


More About films BYkids:

BYkids uses film to teach empathy and global citizenry. BYkids believes that we can understand the world’s challenges — and how to best meet them — through the personal stories of young people.BYkids provides kids around the world with video cameras and film mentors to make short documentaries about their lives.  Each film is accompanied by teaching materials that are used in classrooms around the world to encourage conversation and action and reach 84 million households through public television and half the middle and high schools through Discovery Education. BYkids creates understanding through storytelling. (www.BYkids.org)