‘Life is a Movie: Film Drug Free’

Posted on: 12/18/24

Students at Cochrane Collegiate/iMeck Academy, Garinger, Julius L. Chambers and West Mecklenburg high schools premiered their “Life is a Movie: Film Drug Free” documentaries at the AMC theater at Northlake Mall on Dec. 16.

From skits to traditional-style interviews, students drove home the importance of living a drug-free lifestyle in their films. 

“I believed our students could really tell their stories and present their perspectives on this whole conversation around substance abuse,” said Angennetta Boyd, counselor at Northridge Middle School. “That’s the perspective we need to hear as adults, and they did that today.”

The films were part of a larger grant project Boyd put together for Red Ribbon Week recognized in October. The requirements for the grant through the Mecklenburg County ABC Board Annual Grant Program challenged Boyd to come up with something that would “tackle substance abuse prevention in a unique and interesting way.”

Boyd said the schools were asked to put together a group of student ambassadors who would lead the program at the school level. She said she was proud of the initiative the students took.

“I could see their passion through the screen, their hard work and I could hear their voice,” said Boyd.

Rasheeda Mitchell, eighth grade English teacher and broadcast journalism teacher at Cochrane Collegiate/iMeck Academy, said the documentaries were an opportunity to give students another way of thinking about their futures.

“It gave students an opportunity to not only look within themselves, but also how to express how they feel about making healthy life choices with their peers,” said Mitchell.

Boyd said they’re looking to renew the grant and expand their efforts to be able to work with middle school students. She also hopes to open the film festival to all high schools in the district. In the spring, Boyd said the student ambassadors will come together for a celebratory event.

“The feedback that we got from students today was that they were really appreciative of their peers’ perspective and what’s going on in other schools,” said Boyd. “Our teens have a voice, and they want to be heard.”