WAITING FOR “SUPERMAN” Premieres in Chicago
Among 30 developed countries, the United Sates ranks a dismal 25th in Math and 21st in Science. In fact America ranks 20th in graduation rates. The problem does not end there. When a child doesn’t finish high school, they earn significantly less and are eight times more likely to end up in prison. In Chicago, nearly half of teens do not graduate from high school. The statistics are worse for black males—a 44% graduation rate. Illinois ranks in the bottom two-thirds of states on the achievement gap between white students and students of color.
WAITING FOR “SUPERMAN” a new documentary from Oscar®-winning filmmaker Davis Guggenheim seeks to raise the national dialogue around the nation’s failing public education system and create tangible action to help the system reverse these startling statistics. On Monday, September 27, United Way of Metropolitan Chicago hosts the Chicago Premiere, featuring a Q & A session after the film with Davis Guggenheim, moderated by Chicago Tribune Film Critic Michael Phillips. More than 400 leaders in business, philanthropy, education, organized labor and community-based organizations will participate in the sneak peak. The film opens in Chicago October 1.
Cutting the number of high school dropouts in half by 2018 is a primary goal of United Way and to move towards this goal United Way Worldwide signed on as a Social Action Partner of the film. United Way of Metropolitan Chicago will serve as the Campaign Chair in the Chicago Region, in collaboration with a steering committee of leadership from organizations including Renaissance Schools Fund, The Illinois Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Golden Apple Foundation, Advance Illinois, Stand for Children, Illinois Network of Charter Schools, Teach for America, The First Five Years Fund, The University of Chicago Urban Education Institute and Zio Perez, a Golden Apple Award-winning teacher at Nettelhorst School. The Campaign will raise awareness of the documentary in order to catalyze a movement in support of our school children.
In Chicago, the Social Action Campaign will encourage Community Conversations, host expert panels across the region, and launch a virtual method for hosting an ongoing discussion around education. The online TownHall be a place to ask questions, offer solutions, showcase top interests and concerns, and serve as a tool for collaboration, with the most popular or relevant recommendations bubbling to the top, so all can weigh in on the continuing dialogue. The Campaign launches September 27 with support from Microsoft.
The film officially opens in Chicago on October 1. Already a groundswell of support is underway, with thousands in Chicago pledging to see the film. Check out some of the recent press Huffington Post, CNN International, The Wall Street Journal, MTV, TIME, and USA Today.
We invite you to join us in creating an open dialog around education in America. Watch the trailer below and pledge to see the film. Visit our Education Resources page to see how you can learn, advocate and volunteer to help improve the public education system. Questions, comments? Let us know!
Waiting For Superman Trailer
Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Kelly O'Brien
Kelly is Vice President for Volunteer Engagement, Communications and Marketing at United Way of Metro Chicago. She is an admitted political junkie and gets jazzed when she can get even ONE person excited about public service.
What if all these people crying about their kids not having a good education just stopped bringing kids into this world that they couldn’t support. Then the school system would be less crowded. There’s a cost to education and health care and raising a healthy kid in general. What a sense of entitlement that people think they can have a baby and then expect the rest of us to take care of it.
Why We ARE NOT Waiting for Superman!!!!!
http://www.notwaitingforsuperman.org/