press kit - Selected

PRESS KIT
CONTACTS
Communications Director, selectED
Contact for press inquiries, additional information, photos, screeners,
interviews:
Fran Perchick
[email protected]
646-369-6643
Executive Producer, selectED
Kelly Waller
[email protected]
773-818-5590
Director and Producer, selectED
Kayla McCormick
[email protected]
773-614-7514
Links:
selectED website: www.selectedfilm.com
selectED on Facebook: www.facebook.com/selectedfilm
selectED on Twitter: www.twitter.com/selectedfilm
New Chapter Entertainment website: www.newchapter.tv
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FACT SHEET
Title: selectED
Logline: A revealing look into the lives of students who put it all on the
line to be selected, proving that a free education is never without a cost.
Key Themes: Striving for excellence, perseverance, education, public
school, diversity, encouragement, inspiration, leadership, teachers, goals,
pressure, youth, accomplishment
Genre: Feature Documentary
Running Time: 95 minutes
Cast/Featuring: The Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, the
school’s Principal Dr. Joyce Kenner, and the staff, students and school’s
applicants
Director and Producer: Kayla McCormick
Executive Producers: John Waller, Kelly Waller, Rick Segall, Candi
Carter, Ira Antelis, Daryl Jones
Co-Producer and Lead Editor: Michael Lahey
Editor: Lesley Kubistal
Consulting Producer: Suzanne Mitchell
Director of Photography: Marie-Joelle Rizk
Production Companies: Cohootz Films and New Chapter Entertainment
Country: USA
Shooting Format: color, HD
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SHORT SYNOPSIS
A revealing look into the lives of students who put it all on the line
to be selected, proving that a free education is never without a
cost.
selectED is a touching documentary about the challenges of public
urban education. Through unprecedented access in a Chicago public
school, selectED explores the leadership, triumphs and losses in one of
the most culturally and economically diverse schools in the country.
selectED investigates the impact that being educated in a true melting
pot environment has on learning, acceptance, values, tolerance, and
worldview. The film shares the empowering stories of the school’s
dynamic characters as they illustrate what is possible when great
leadership, diverse cultures and extraordinary minds come together.
These interwoven stories also highlight the benefits, and unintended
consequences, of select schools and society’s constant struggle with
urban education. You will be troubled, inspired and compelled to act.
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FILMMAKERS’ STATEMENT
Education is of paramount importance to all of us, we are all touched by the school
system. When a school such as Whitney M. Young Magnet High School achieves
such a high level of excellence, when students give their all to be selected for
admission and continue to give their all once they are enrolled, there is a story to
be told. At a time where social issues of division and the growing economic gap are
in the national focus, Whitney Young embraces diversity and provides opportunity
through free public education. The film offers a unique perspective on what it takes
to continue this dedication, and shares a very personal look into the lives of several
students.
The selectED filmmakers have always been committed to education; learning,
growth, and knowledge are dear to our hearts. We know that education is a
foundation for success, it has a direct effect on each individual, and it is critical to
defeating poverty, hunger, and crime. Education supports the growth and positive
dynamics of a community. It has an impact on the future. Whitney Young is a truly
remarkable public school with a mission of superior education and an atmosphere
of dreams and accomplishments. Through its halls walk the students, teachers, and
administrators that are committed to success. This school has incredible leaders
and Dr. Joyce Kenner at the helm, and hard working, well-rounded, and bright
students poised for achievement.
This Chicago public school is one of the most well-respected high schools in the
nation, and its mission to provide children of diverse backgrounds with the
preparation and opportunity to succeed, resonated with us. The film explores how a
culture of excellence and high expectations can work to create change and hope in
a public education system that throughout our cities is not always at its best. We
hope to create an important dialogue about education, equal opportunities, the
impacts of leadership on our children, the challenges that young people face, and
the benefits they receive from exposure to different cultures, different ideas, and
different experiences. If this school and its students can thrive, can the benchmark
set by Whitney Young be reached elsewhere?
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DOCUMENTARY FILM “selectED” TO WORLD PREMIERE
AT THE SARASOTA FILM FESTIVAL ON APRIL 17, 2015
The film takes a revealing look into the lives of students who put it all on the line to
be selected, proving that a free education is never without a cost.
One Dream. One School. One Year.
Chicago, IL – April 6, 2015 – The new documentary feature film selectED will world
premiere at the 2015 Sarasota Film Festival. The film explores education in one of the most
esteemed, culturally and economically diverse high schools in the country, and takes an
inside look at the determination, challenges, and accomplishments of the students as they
strive for excellence. selectED highlights the benefits and unintended consequences of
selective enrollment schools and society’s constant struggle with urban education.
Produced by Chicago filmmakers and filmed at the Whitney M. Young Magnet High School,
selectED is an engaging, inspiring and touching film that shares what it takes to be
accepted into a selective school and the commitment required from all involved: students,
parents, faculty, and staff, to support the success of each student. It illustrates what is
possible when great leadership, diverse cultures, and extraordinary minds come together.
The film has already been recognized by the Sarasota Film Festival as one of only eight
outstanding films chosen to participate in the Documentary Feature Competition.
selectED will be shown on Friday, April 17, 2015 at 8pm in Theater 8, and Saturday, April
18, 2015 at 1:30pm in the Herald Tribune Theater 9, at the Regal Cinemas Hollywood 20,
1933 Main Street, Sarasota. The screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s
director, Kayla McCormick and Whitney M. Young Magnet High School Principal, Dr. Joyce
Kenner.
At a time when racial tension and widening economic gaps are prevalent in our cities, the
film is a testament to what is possible in an inclusive and exceptional public school. Whitney
Young has graduated the best and the brightest, those who have gone on to become
leaders in the corporate world, in science, sports, entertainment, public policy, and in
government, including lawyer and First Lady Michelle Obama.
The stories told in the film are especially relevant given the current challenges being faced
by public school systems throughout the nation. While many schools and students in our
cities are thriving, many others are addressing closings, budget cuts, concerns about
standardized testing, the dismantling of music and arts programs, and overcrowding. The
future of our youth depends on the quality of education, encouragement, inspiration, and
leadership that they experience. As they work toward their goals, selectED follows several
Press Release Page 1 of 2
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students through their individual and unpredictable journeys during the school year. The
responsibility required for success, to be “selected,” puts pressure on both the students to
fully participate and excel in their education, and this renowned school, to provide the best
opportunities and education possible – a required balance revealed in the film. Jahlil Okafor,
Duke University freshman basketball player and 2014 Whitney Young graduate put it this
way, “Excellence is expected across the board” at Whitney Young. Under the leadership of
the inspiring, demanding, and award-winning principal, Dr. Joyce Kenner, Whitney Young
became one of the most coveted selective schools in the nation, with just 350 applicants
selected for acceptance from the 10,000 who apply each year, and a ranking among the top
high schools in the nation.
Dr. Joyce Kenner stated, ”We decided to dive into this project and allow the cameras to be
present to record every moment, knowing that a spectacular truth would emerge about this
high school. I'm left speechless by the raw emotion and the experience that was captured
by the producers. We've known for decades that we have something very unique and
fundamentally groundbreaking here at Whitney Young. The process of filming this
documentary brought into sharp focus that our little experiment from the 1970s is still a
nationwide model for what really works in public education. I’m thrilled that through
selectED, the world will see the incredibly positive results of dedication and hard work."
“Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would welcome the opportunity to go
back to high school, much less find it an enjoyable experience,” said Kayla McCormick,
Director and Producer. “For an entire year, Principal Joyce Kenner gave me unprecedented
access to faculty, students and staff of one of Chicago’s most racially and ethnically diverse
public high schools. selectED captures the vision and dreams of Whitney M. Young Magnet
High School’s founding teachers and administrators. It tells a story of one of the most
successful public high schools in the nation, its incredible students, and how a culture of
excellence and high expectations can work to create change and hope in a public education
system that is severely broken. We are excited to share it with audiences at the Sarasota
Film Festival.”
Film Credits: Director and Producer: Kayla, McCormick, Executive Producers: John Waller,
Kelly Waller, Rick Segall, Candi Carter, Ira Antelis, Daryl Jones, Co-Producer and Lead
Editor: Michael Lahey, Editor: Lesley Kubistal, Consulting Producer: Suzanne Mitchell,
Director of Photography: Marie-Joelle Rizk. selectED is a Cohootz Films and New Chapter
Entertainment production.
www.newchapter.tv
###
Contact: For photos, screeners, interviews, information
Fran Perchick, Communications Director, selectED
646-369-6643
[email protected]
www.selectedfilm.com
Press Release Page 2 of 2
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KAYLA MCCORMICK BIO
Kayla McCormick is the Director and Producer of selectED. As a Chicago native
with nearly twenty years experience producing both long and short form series for
television, she is thrilled to have completed her first feature length documentary, an
intimate film that examines the truths and challenges of public urban education as
seen through the lives of five public high school students in Chicago.
Ms. McCormick started her career in New York in 1996 as an International Radio &
Television Fellowship winner working for Barbara Walters in 1996.
While embedded with the US Coast Guard’s Air Station New Orleans during
Hurricane Katrina, she created the verite-style show and shooting model for the
Weather Channel Series Coast Guard Storm Stories. McCormick’s Weather Channel
documentary on the 2004 Las Vegas Flash Flood received a Silver Telly Award, the
highest honor, from out of nearly 12,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents.
Her pilot episode of The World’s Most Dangerous Road - Bolivia was one of the
highest-rated, primetime specials for History Channel the year it premiered in 2006,
and it was subsequently picked up as series for The National Geographic Channel.
In 2007, McCormick became a staff producer for The Oprah Winfrey Show, the most
successful show in the history of daytime television. While at Oprah, she created and
developed entire episodes of the show. She field produced and managed small- and
large-scale shoots all over the world, including co-producing Oprah’s Next Chapter:
India, where she spent a month on the ground in Mumbai developing, booking, field
producing and interviewing high profile guests as well as families in some of India’s
largest slums.
Ms. McCormack’s experience also includes numerous productions for PBS and A&E
Network.
In 2013, McCormick took a year off to backpack around the world solo. Nearly six
months and 13 countries into her trip, while walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain,
she received an offer to produce her first feature length documentary about a Chicago
Public School. She was on a plane home to Chicago three weeks later and
immediately went to work on selectED.
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CANDI CARTER BIO
Candi Carter is an Executive Producer of selectED. The CEO of New Chapter
Entertainment, a content/production company headquartered in Chicago, IL, Ms. Carter
recently launched the “Just Keke” talk show for Telepictures and BET (20 episodes) and will
executive produce the test run of another celebrity talk show for Telepictures in 2015. She
is the executive producer of two feature-length documentaries, a one-hour television
special for TV One, several live and breaking news specials for BET, producer for The Tyler
Perry Talk Show (one-hour special for OWN) and oversees multiple corporate projects and
branded entertainment initiatives. Carter also produced more than 200 hours of syndicated
talk shows airing in more than 150 countries.
Carter has worked in television for more than two decades. She started her career at CNN
in Atlanta, GA and the moved on to produce programming specials for the ABC affiliate in
Milwaukee, WI where she won her first Emmy. She is best known for her work as a Senior
Producer/Supervising Producer at The Oprah Winfrey Show for 15 years. During her tenure
there, Carter produced the highest-rated Oprah Show in more than 6 years, and the
critically acclaimed, award-winning episode “An Oprah Show Two-Day Event: 200 Molested
Men Come Forward.” Carter is skilled in the art of creating transformative television through
compelling storytelling and working with publicists and A-list celebrities. She’s written,
produced and supervised a wide range of programming: interactive sets, contests, reality
shows, big location shoots/events, musical performances, fashion shows, talent shows, big
stunts, surprises, reunions and others.
Her Chicago-based production company, New Chapter Entertainment, is focused on
originating, developing and producing unscripted TV shows for broadcast, cable,
syndication and new media. Carter’s company also specializes in short-form video content,
commercials, short films and branded entertainment vehicles for corporate clients.
Carter also owns Hip Hop Baby LLC, a children’s entertainment company with a line of
DVDs and music for toddlers. In addition to her entrepreneurial ventures, Carter is an
inspirational leader, dedicated mentor and committed servant in her community. She’s a
former board member and advisor to Aspire of Illinois, an organization helping children and
adults with disabilities, and also a member of The Innovation Forum at the Goodman
Theater in Chicago. A wife and mother of two, Carter lives with her family in the greater
Chicago area.
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RICK SEGALL BIO
Rick Segall is an Executive Producer of selectED. Mr. Segall is a founding partner and
Executive Vice President of New Chapter Entertainment, an innovative multi-platform
production company based in Chicago. In 2014, he was the EIC for a special on Aretha
Franklin that aired on TV One, and EIC of two "Justice for Ferguson" news specials that
aired on BET. He also helped create five shows in 2014 that received development deals
with four different networks. A passionate storyteller and creative producer, Segall has been
creating award-winning television for more than 20 years.
Segall began his career as a local news reporter and videographer in Michigan and
Virginia. After winning several Emmy's for his work, he "inherited the whole country" as a
feature correspondent for a national daytime newsmagazine on NBC. In 1999, Segall
became a correspondent/producer for the hit show America’s Most Wanted. He produced
more than 100 stories for the legendary crime-fighting program, resulting in the direct
capture of more than 20 fugitives and the safe return of two missing children, including
Elizabeth Smart in 2003. Segall joined the production team of The Oprah Winfrey Show in
2007, where he produced some of the highest rated, most celebrated episodes in Oprah
Show history: "Oprah’s Secret Family Reunion," "200 Molested Men Come Forward" and
"Inside the Minds of Sexual Predators." He also helped produce famous franchises like
"Ask Dr. Oz" and "Behind the Scenes of Oprah’s Favorite Things." Segall produced a wide
variety of genres and styles, including celebrity, musical performance, investigative,
newsmaker, reality, home makeovers, fashion shows, big stunts, on-location remotes,
cooking and medical.
Segall also ran his own full-service production company “RSTV, Inc.” – creating
entertainment, news, educational and corporate productions for clients such as The CocaCola Company, FOX, Turner Private Networks and other news organizations and large
companies. His latest venture, New Chapter Entertainment, combines Segall's passion for
both broadcast and corporate television production. The company focuses on both
unscripted television shows for broadcast, cable, syndication and new media, as well as
short-form video content, commercials, short films and branded entertainment vehicles for
corporate clients.
A proud husband, father of two kids and owner of one English bulldog, Segall is a selfproclaimed foodie whose ultimate goal is to produce a food or cooking series that will allow
him to travel around the country and eat for free.
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KELLY WALLER BIO
Kelly Waller is an Executive Producer of selectED. Ms. Waller is President of Cohootz
Films. She also serves as Vice President and Secretary for Southport Investments
which has activity involved in Signature Bank in Chicago, the wine label Pieces of Eight,
and real estate properties in California and Michigan. Waller actively serves on the
Board of Directors of the Chicago Children’s Theatre and serves on committees at
Sacred Heart Sheridan Road and Whitney Young Magnet High School. She is a
member of the Tisch Parents council at New York University. Ms. Waller spent much of
her professional career at American Express, where she held numerous sales and
executive positions.
JOHN WALLER BIO
John Waller is an Executive Producer of selectED. Mr. Waller has worked in finance,
education and the arts. In education, he worked with the Alliance for Catholic Education
(“ACE”) and numerous international leaders to help create a strategic and financial plan
to rebuild the school system in Haiti. His passion for the arts has lead beyond
philanthropic support to identifying and starting music and movie productions. He is
currently a managing partner of Waller Helms Advisors, a boutique investment bank, and
a partner in Cohootz Films, Pieces of Eight Winery and Signature Bank.
IRA ANTELIS BIO
Ira Antelis is an Executive Producer of selectED. Mr. Antelis has more than 25 years of
comprehensive experience in all aspects of the music business, from song composition
and commercial production to recording as an artist. He has composed and produced
thousands of pieces of music, including music for nearly every major brand. His songs
have been sung and recorded by artists including Marc Anthony and Christina Aguillera.
Antelis has owned and been a partner in many music companies and currently is Co
CEO of Jira Productions and Artists and Brands. He was one of the founders of Music
Dealers, which has become one of the top licensing companies in the world, and was
instrumental in helping Audiotree and New Chapter Productions get their start.
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MICHAEL LAHEY BIO
Michael Lahey is Co-Producer and Lead Film Editor of selectED. Mr. Lahey is a
documentary filmmaker and veteran editor. He has edited programs for PBS, Discovery
Channel, History Channel, and National Geographic Channel, among others. His film
Making Waves won Best Feature Documentary at the Newburyport Documentary Film
Festival and Great Lakes Independent Film Festival. He is currently in post-production
on his third feature doc, Shelf Life. In 2004, he founded his production company, Jump
Cut Films.
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FILMMAKERS
RICK SEGALL
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
CANDI CARTER
KAYLA MCCORMICK
DIRECTOR &
PRODUCER
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
KELLY WALLER
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
IRA ANTELIS
JOHN WALLER
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
MICHAEL LAHEY
COPRODUCER & LEAD
EDITOR
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JOYCE DORSEY KENNER, Ed.D. BIO
Principal, Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
Dr. Joyce Dorsey Kenner was appointed principal of Whitney M. Young
Magnet High School in Chicago, Illinois in August of 1995. She served
as an assistant principal at the school prior to her appointment. Dr.
Kenner is from Dayton, Ohio and received her Bachelor of Science
degree from Ohio University, majoring in physical education and health,
her Master’s degree from Wright State University, and her doctorate
degree of Education from Loyola University in Curriculum and
Instruction. Dr. Kenner has held various positions throughout her career
Including coach, coordinator, innovator, and administrator in Ohio and Illinois. She served
as Deputy Education Director for the PUSH for Excellence program at Operation PUSH
under the leadership of Reverend Jesse L. Jackson. She also coached a runner-up State
championship girl’s track and field team in Dayton, Ohio.
Dr. Kenner has demonstrated her commitment to the education process; the social, mental,
and physical well-being of all children. She is actively involved in the community at large
and has received numerous awards for her humanitarian efforts. She is the current
president of the Chicago Public Schools Athletic Association Principals Executive Board
and past member of the Illinois High School Athletic Association (IHSA). Under her
leadership Whitney Young has been acknowledged by U.S. News and World Report,
Newsweek, The Daily Beast, Niche, Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, High School
Digger, and Chicago Magazine as one of the top college preparatory schools in the country
and the state of Illinois. The school was named a Blue Ribbon school by the United States
Department of Education. This award is the highest honor that can bestowed on a school
for outstanding academic performance. Her philosophy of education was to transform
Whitney Young into a powerhouse in academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities.
Her boys and girls basketball teams have won multiple state championships, the chess
team and mathematics teams have won unprecedented state championships, and the
Academic Decathlon team continues to represent the state each year successfully at the
national championships. Whitney Young has won city championships in virtually every sport
offered and the Academic Center cross country team has won the state title. There have
been several perfect scores on the ACT and SAT and the #1 chess player, bowler,
vibraphonist, and basketball player attended the school. The school’s diverse student body
coupled with an outstanding faculty and staff has consistently produced national merit and
national achievement scholarship winners.
Dr. Kenner bio – page 1 of 2
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JOYCE DORSEY KENNER, Ed.D. BIO – Continued from previous page
Dr. Kenner was selected for an Outstanding Leadership award given by Chicago Public
Schools and the Chicago Principal’s Association. She has also received several
monetary awards by Chicago Public Schools for her schools’ academic performance.
She was honored as a distinguished alumnus of Chaminade-Julienne High School,
nominated for membership the Headmasters Association, and bestowed the First Step
Humanitarian award for her visibility in the community. She has also been recognized by
the Kizzy Foundation, NAACP, Today’s Chicago Woman, and Phi Delta Kappa for her
extraordinary commitment to academic success and making a difference in the lives of
young people.
Dr. Kenner is one of a set of triplets. She is married to Greg W. Kenner and has a son,
Julian.
Dr. Kenner bio – page 2 of 2
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WHITNEY M. YOUNG MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL
Where academic excellence is the standard
Chicago’s Whitney M. Young Magnet High School has a reputation of academic
excellence. It is a renowned public school with a rigorous application process, where
outstanding teachers and students give their all. Whitney Young has been recognized as
the 5th best high school in the Midwest by Newsweek (May, 2013).
From the Whitney M. Young High School website:
The vision of Whitney M. Young Magnet High School is to create a positive, diverse,
friendly, and challenging learning community where students grow toward fulfilling
their potential in academic, artistic, physical, and socio-emotional dimensions. We
value the uniqueness of each student and prepare our graduates both to succeed in
their own lives and to make positive contributions to society.
Our mission is to provide a college preparatory academic program that challenges
all students to reach their maximum potential. We will provide an environment of
excellence, responsibility, and diversity that fosters intellectual, social, and
technological skills accomplished through professional development, structured
learning experiences and parental support.
Acclaimed Alumni: If you have seen the film selectED or know of the school, you will
already be certain that many influential, accomplished, successful, creative, and intelligent
people will graduate from Whitney Young. Many accomplished alumni have earned their
diplomas in Whitney Young’s classrooms. To name just a few:
•  Michelle Obama – lawyer, writer, and First Lady of the United States
•  Joan Higginbotham – engineer and former NASA astronaut who flew aboard the
Space Shuttle Discovery
•  Quintin Richardson – retired NBA player, now in player development with the
Detroit Pistons
•  Katrina Adams – former professional tennis player and current President of the
United States Tennis Association
•  Craig Robinson – Actor (Darryl Philbin on The Office, Hot Tub Time Machine)
•  Russell Maryland – College Football Hall of Fame inductee and former NFL
defensive tackle
Whitney M. Young website: www.wyoung.org/index.jsp
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Official Film Poster
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New Chapter Entertainment is an innovative production company founded by 15-year
Oprah Show veteran Candi Carter and former America’s Most Wanted and Oprah Show
producer Rick Segall. New Chapter Entertainment develops engaging unscripted
programming for television and the web, as well as documentaries and strategic
marketing vehicles for forward-thinking brands. Combining decades of experience from
every corner of the entertainment industry, New Chapter excels in producing compelling,
stimulating and thought-provoking entertainment that grabs audiences.
As a Chicago-based production company, New Chapter has the bandwidth to uncover
unique worlds, casts and characters throughout the Midwest and beyond. With years of
syndicated talk show experience (airing in more than 150 countries), New Chapter’s
team has produced hundreds of hours of live shows, live-to-tape productions and onlocation shows with studio audiences – as well as large musical performances both in
studio and on location. In addition to the studio and live experience, New Chapter’s
producers are masters at producing bigger-than-life “stunt” TV.
New Chapter’s CEO, Candi Carter, recently executive produced 20 episodes of the
“Just Keke” talk show for Telepictures and BET. New Chapter produced one-hour
specials for TV One and OWN, and breaking news and live specials for BET. The
company has signed development deals with 6 networks. It’s first documentary, “I Am
For Peace,” will air on PBS in May 2015. New Chapter is also producing multiple
corporate projects, branded entertainment campaigns and two sponsored digital series
that are in development.
Cohootz Films is a Chicago-based independent production company focused on making
thought provoking, entertaining, and social issue focused documentaries. Motivated by
the impact of the real life story of "Remember The Titans” and the documentary "Hoop
Dreams" from their hometowns of Alexandria, VA and Chicago, the founders of Cohootz
Films, with experience and passion for both arts and education, want to inspire action
and debate. With moving stories via the powerful portal of full length features, Cohootz
Films hopes to highlight the successes and challenges of the pursuit of providing quality
education, as explored in their documentary feature film, selectED.
By partnering with leading award winning film makers, and identifying motivating
characters and stories, Cohootz is making films that entertain and inspire.
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Quotes
“Excellence is expected across the board here.” Jahlil, class of 2014
“Education is definitely my ticket out.” Pam, class of 2014
“Coming to Whitney Young opens so many doors for me.” Jocelyn,
class of 2014
“What is unfair about the system is not how hard it is to get in, the
problem is that there are not enough opportunities for everybody that
wants one." Carrie, Whitney M. Young Magnet High School applicant
“A goal without a plan is a dream. You have to be able to get there."
David, class of 2014
"Whitney Young is smart students who do something with their lives.”
Sanel, class of 2014
"When a principal selects her staff amazing things happen.” Mel,
Teacher, Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
“'My kids need me and I need them to feel whole every day." Dr. Joyce
Kenner, Principal, Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
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One Dream. One School. One Year.
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