In October 2014, PFC inaugurated the Doc-ED program. With funding from the late Mary Redman, we offered 1,100 tickets for the documentary film I Am Eleven to Bellingham middle schools. The Redman foundation wanted to fund a program that provided inspiration to students at a critical life juncture (middle school) and film is a tried and true method for opening up the world.
Since 2015, every public and tribal middle school in the county has been invited to attend Doc-ED. A total of 25,687 students from 13 Whatcom County middle schools and the Lummi Nation have come to our cinemas to see brand new documentary films. Every October, the Pickford provides free tickets plus free bus transportation as well as offering teachers the choice of up to four brand new documentaries (with discussion guides) to show their students. Films about space exploration, student inventors, music, animals, Native heritage, sports, history, education, and far-away cultures have all been part of the equation. We were thrilled to note that our 2023 program attendance of 3,719 students from all over Whatcom County exceeded that of similar film education programs that serve the entire metropolis of Vancouver. Even more students are expected in 2024. It is not hyperbole, Doc-ED is big.
Funding for this program is raised privately, with the Bellingham community donating hundreds of thousands of dollars since Doc-ED began.
This year, Doc-ED will provide a special free preview screening to all Whatcom-based middle school teachers on August 13 from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M., so teachers can make an informed choice about what they would like their students to see. Admission is free to any teacher upon presentation of their school ID. Up to four films will be shown.
Teachers who are interested in getting more information can RSVP to Lesley Schroeder, Education and Outreach Manager, lesley@pickfordfilmcenter.org.
Free Preview for all Middle School Teachers: Tuesday, August 13 9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
Location: Pickford Film Center, 1318 Bay Street, Bellingham 98225
RSVP and program information: lesley@pickfordfilmcenter.org
Founded in 1998, the Pickford Film Center serves the Whatcom community by screening independent films 365 days a year, producing and presenting the annual Doctober film festival, the Bellingham Children’s Film Festival, numerous film series and special events. The Pickford offers free documentary film showings to all Whatcom middle schools through Doc-ED and partners with students and schools for many other events during the year.
