Press release — Film Screening, “PEI Kids: Generation Change” at AMC 24 Theater

PEI Kids Hosts Town Hall Meeting/Film Screening of
“PEI Kids: Generation Change” at AMC 24 Hamilton Theater

Film, community conversation confront challenges facing Mercer youth

Hamilton, NJ, June 21, 2017 – On Wednesday, June 28, 2017 PEI Kids will present a screening of the award-winning film, “PEI Kids: Generation Change,” which features adjudicated and at-risk Mercer County youth discussing a host of issues, including daily challenges they face. Special invited guests for this Town Hall-style event include State, County, and local officials.

Seven13 films and Lawrence-based PEI Kids partnered to produce the documentary film which was moderated by Adrienne Bankert, ABC News National Correspondent, and taped at the Sam Naples Community

Center in Trenton.

The film interviews adjudicated and at-risk Mercer County youth focusing on how they would solve current problems in their community, such as building positive relationships with law enforcement, violence, and the role of local government.

PEI Kids’ mission is dedicated to promoting and maintaining a safe environment for all children. The agency’s Juvenile Intervention programs work with first-and second-time juvenile offenders and youth at-risk of juvenile justice involvement, helping them change the trajectory of their lives and build safer communities.  Executive Director Roz Dashiell explained, “It is important that our young people have a seat at the table for these discussions because with their insight, we can start to consider the appropriate point of entry to bring healing around some of the issues that fracture our community.” Juvenile Intervention Services Coordinator, Rob Fiorello said of the project, “We want to provide opportunities that give our youth a platform to share their voice and tell their story. “

The film debuted to wide acclaim at the Garden State Film Festival winning the Broader Vision Award for advancing discussion on important social issues.Seven13 films creates projects that provide positive messages and ignite discussions on social issues. “This project is important on several levels,” said Lee Kolinsky, co-owner of seven13 films. “It recognizes the challenges of youth who want to make a positive impact in their neighborhood, reveals the daily perception of their environments and seeks to offer insight on how the community can get involved.”

ABC News National Correspondent Adrienne Bankert said, “Working on this project was a gift. It was definitely a learning lesson for the youth, and for me. At the end of the day we all just want to be heard and appreciated.”

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Update: To see the photo gallery from this event, click here or enter this URL into your browser: www.peikids.org/newsletter/photo-gallery-film-screening/

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About PEI Kids Established in 1985, PEI Kids’ mission is dedicated to promoting and maintaining a safe environment for all children by providing prevention, intervention and advocacy programs relating to personal safety, sexual abuse, and the overall well-being of the child.  Currently serving approximately 12,000 children and families annually, PEI Kids is a Mercer County (NJ)-based nonprofit which provides school-based prevention programs and intervention services for children including crisis counseling for child victims of sexual abuse, delinquency-prevention for youth at risk of juvenile justice involvement, and juvenile offender diversion programming for adjudicated youth.  PEI Kids also provides support services for children in foster care and their families and free community workshops to prevent child sexual abuse. To learn more about PEI Kids, please call 609-695-3739 or visit www.peikids.org or www.facebook.com/peikidsnj

About seven13 films Seven13 films is made up of award-winning filmmakers Joseph A. Halsey and Lee Kolinsky, and is dedicated to providing social messages that spark conversation through the art of filmmaking. To learn more about seven13 Films visit http://seven13films.nyc.

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