“AS I RISE” is a life-changing film in a category all its own that will inspire women and girls to rise to their highest potential, paving the way for a new breed of 21st-century leaders. ‘As I Rise’ will become the door to new pathways in learning, encouraging confidence in girls, championing visionary community role models and advocating a level playing field for leadership diversity and economic growth using the power of inspired human greatness.

Research reveals that film has the significant power to inform, educate, persuade, and even change behavior, influence opinions, change attitudes, and teach new values. A powerful film will engage our cognitive, emotional, and even our spiritual senses creating a profound transformative experience. It opens the door for viewers to step outside of their normal, routine modes of thought by producing a new “whole body” experience. Put scientifically, film utilizes the power of modeling or imitative learning techniques; a method, according to Stanford psychologist Bandura, that plays a highly influential role in accelerating social changes, stimulating long-lasting attitude changes, and in strengthening or extinguishing emotional responsiveness to various stimuli. The educational potential is enormous. As studies now suggest, films are to some extent teachers of values and social behavior in our society. We believe film has the power to ignite life-changing effects on the developing world, vulnerable communities and social outcomes. In short, they may possibly be a more powerful teacher of values and ethics than we ever imagined.

Positive role models have a powerful effect on children's behavior. The influence of film on the psychosocial development of children is profound. Film possess a real and transformative effect on young minds. Girls and boys, especially in racially impoverished areas, between the ages of 12-21, are most affected by a film, emulating dialogue, style, and placing the film heroes in a very integrated part of their minds. Film has the power beyond any other medium, to shed light on an issue through a story.

According to scientists, evolution has hard wired our brains for storytelling. Because of this, stories have a profound impact on our learning. The reason: telling a story activates not only our language processing brain power, but our sensory cortex, our motor cortex and any other area in our brain that we would use when “experiencing” the events of the story. Put simply, a story is a connection of cause and effect, and that is exactly how we think. When we hear a story the brain searches for a similar cause and effect relationship we’ve previously experienced. This triggers a part of the brain called insula which helps us truly relate to that same experience of pain, joy, love or sadness happening in the story. According to Uri Hasson from Princeton, a story is the only way to activate parts in the brain so that a listener turns the story into their own idea and experience, making storytelling the only way to plant ideas into other people’s minds. WCF is convinced that stories are a powerful and innovative learning tool. They have the impressive ability to speak in a universal language all students understand and, more significantly, they engage the “whole” self, not just our brain’s language center. What better way to instruct the students of the 21st century?

In the context of experiential learning and teaching, experience usually implies that students have, or are given, a direct or simulated encounter with the external world. The strength of this approach is that the “whole person” does the experiencing, not just the individual’s mind or body. Science tells us we learn when engaging our being; the cognitive, physical, emotional and spiritual energies, meaning the person’s knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, beliefs, emotions, and senses. But how can we achieve experiential learning inside the classroom? The answer: through technology. Using audiovisual encounters, and unparalleled storytelling, film becomes an effective secondary form of experiential learning. A powerful film can trigger an experience that engages our senses and hearing, interacting with a person’s cognitive, emotional, perceptual, affective and even spiritual levels. In essence, screen and mind connect to engage the “whole person”, creating a potentially transformative experience. Add in further reflection, course readings, discussions, analysis and assignments, film becomes a powerful and core learning tool; one that will always be a core instructional strategy on the WCF platform. Whatever our students are working to master, we are convinced that experiential learning will serve to unleash the extraordinary in all of them!

Rees Candee has been producing, writing and directing programs for 43 years with his company, Candee Productions, Inc. Since graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1975 with a B.A. in Television and Film, Rees has created more than 2000 programs on a diverse number of topics and a for variety of clients. He creates documentaries, concert films, TV spots and educational and marketing communications. Candee Productions builds programs per commission and conceives and self publishes independent programs. Rees’ pieces have been recognized with numerous awards including a regional “EMMY”, “TELLY”s, “CINE” Golden Eagles, Gold “AURORA”s, Gold “PHILO”s, “INTERCOM” awards and many festival awards. Rees can be reached at rwcandee@gmail.com or 480-223.2684