Tell Your Water Story on the Big Screen
Presented by Here On Earth in collaboration with NYU Wallerstein Collaborative
This session is for educators working with teens and young adults and youths aged 14–26 themselves – who are interested in creating and supporting short film projects about water, place, and environmental connection.
We will introduce accessible, creative filmmaking approaches that educators and youths can use in classrooms, after-school programs, or community settings as tools to integrate arts and civic action. Short films may be entered into our open call and be considered by a jury for Water Stories, a youth film showcase presented by Here On Earth and partnering organizations in celebration of World Ocean Day (June 8).
All participants will receive a packet of resources and instructions for how to submit to the showcase.
Minimal video experience recommended, but not required.
Agenda
Examples of youth-made films about water from Here On Earth programs
An overview of project formats, including:
short documentary
poem-films (using poetry as structure or voiceover)
stop-motion animation
experimental and observational films
A walkthrough of adaptable lesson plans and prompts
Details about the Water Stories showcase
Time for questions
Who should attend?
Educators working with ages 14–26
High school and college educators
Environmental and sustainability educators
Arts, media, and interdisciplinary teachers
After-school, nonprofit, and community-based youth program leaders
Teens and young adults aged 14-26 interested in environmental advocacy and/or filmmaking
What is “Water Stories"?
Water Stories is a public screening event presented by Here On Earth around World Ocean Day (June 8), featuring short films made by teens and young adults that explore water as:
a local presence (rivers, shorelines, rain, infrastructure)
an environmental issue (pollution, access, stewardship)
a metaphor (memory, emotion, flow, care)
a relationship between humans and the natural world
Films may be poetic, documentary, experimental, or animated.
About Here On Earth
Here On Earth is a climate-focused youth art and filmmaking initiative in NYC that supports teens and young adults in telling environmental stories through film, sound, and creative media — with a strong focus on water, place, and care for the natural world.
About NYU Wallerstein Collaborative
The Wallerstein Collaborative For Urban Environmental Education and Sustainability was established in 2000 in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University to promote environmental literacy and sustainability by working with educators in K-12 classroom settings, graduate students, and faculty in colleges and universities.