NEWS // 10.19.16
A Bright Future: West Rises Up makes broadcast debut
“What I’ve learned is we could teach inside a cardboard box…learning can take place anywhere. And what I’ve learned about our kids is they’ll respond if we’re truly doing our best to engage them,” said David Truitt, West ISD Superintendent in the new documentary, A Bright Future: West Rises Up.
The documentary follows the story of five students, following the 2013 explosion that devastated West ISD’s school buildings and much of the town. Through their eyes, it tells the story of the community’s resilience in the aftermath of the disaster, leading up to the opening of the new schools this past August.
The film will make its broadcast debut on KWKT FOX 44 (Waco-Bryan-College Station) on Thursday, October 20 at 9:30 PM, with hour two running the following evening at the same time. The station will run both hours back-to-back on October 21 from 4-6 PM; sister station KYLE Y28 will air the film on October 22 from 7-9 PM. The documentary will be shown in the Dallas-Fort Worth area on November 26 at 11 AM and November 27 at 7 AM. Additional airings will be announced.
Rush Olson, of FourNine Productions and Rush Olson Creative & Sports, and director of photography/editor Dave French of Ludisian Legion Entertainment have gathered interviews and footage for more than three years. Their finished film includes stories of getting children back to school 100 hours after the explosion, years spent on a campus consisting entirely of portable buildings and some remarkable athletic and academic achievements. Being, at its heart, a story about learners, the filmmakers felt the choice of narrators should reflect its essence.
The students’ voiceovers will accompany interviews with numerous others connected to the story. Follow the story of West ISD at www.restorewestisd.com or www.facebook.com/restorewestisd.
