Bullying can come in many forms, according to a 20-minute film being shown to high school students in the Murrieta Valley Unified School District this week. The documentary “Teen Truth Live” is a glimpse into the causes of school violence and how teens deal with pressure from parents, teachers and peers. It points out that bullying can include spreading rumors and intimidation, and that these types of bullying can create anger in students who do not feel accepted by peers. This can lead to physical violence and in extreme cases, killing. The film ...

Written by: Ethan J. Skolnick, Sun Sentinel Columnist Published by: Sun Sentinel He's made his mark in the NFL by multitasking: running, blocking, catching, even passing in a pinch. But Ronnie Brown actually displayed his versatility long before, as a kid in Cartersville, Ga., by pulling an even more difficult double. "I never really made bad grades, and I was still one of the cool kids," Brown says. "I think a lot of times kids get caught up in thinking that the people that get in trouble are the people that you want ...

Poway High School students heard a candid presentation Friday from a former addict about how his addiction began with “just a few beers” during his high school days. Michael Sarich, 31, with the nonprofit “Teen Truth Live,” asked the students attending two assemblies in the school gym to join him in an honest discussion about drug and alcohol use. Sarich told about his own downfall, hoping to uncover what he calls the “truth and consequences of drugs,” he said. Sarich asked the students if they have tried drugs or alcohol. At least half the ...

The cameras were rolling, documenting the unscripted candor of Rancho Milpitas Middle School students and parents as they discussed family communication for an upcoming educational film set to launch around the country. Teen Truth Live, an organization created to give students a voice and empower them to make a difference, is expected to release "Teen Truth: Parents and Family Communication" early next year. The fourth film in the Teen Truth series, directed by Erahm Christopher and produced by JC Pohl, follows the series' signature student-shot style to show how real teenagers and ...

Vacaville, CA - Filmmaker JC Pohl talks to students at Will C. Wood High School about bullying and school violence. (Ryan Chalk / The Reporter) Will C. Wood High School students in Vacaville got a stark reminder of the effects of bullying Wednesday during a school assembly on the topic. Filmmaker JC Pohl brought his popular documentary "Teen Truth: An Inside Look at Bullying and School Violence" to the campus of approximately 1,650 students. The 22-minute film, created by high school students from across the United States was also paired with Pohl's own ...

Op-ed: Speaker’s frank alcohol and drug abuse talk contains empowering message for parents January 29, 2010 by Lisa Levinson For the parents gathered in room K110 at Greeley on Tuesday, January 12 for a parent presentation co-hosted by Greeley’s Students Against Drunk Driving and Drugs (SADDD) and its student government, the fact that one isn’t seventeen forever is a given. But for many teens the challenges of the moment seem larger than life. Approximately 30 parents took advantage of an opportunity to preview a presentation on the negative effects of alcohol and drug use planned ...

Have you ever been punched, tripped, kicked, shoved or had a rumor spread about you?” filmmaker JC Pohl asked students at Escondido's Bear Valley Middle School at a special assembly last week. About 350 seventh-graders in were the room, and they all stood up. “Now, if you have ever done that to anyone else, sit down,” Pohl said. Five students remained standing. In three years of taking his Teen Truth Live assemblies on bullying to about 350 schools in 20 states, Pohl said that 99 percent of the 400,000 students ...

“How many of you have ever been kicked, shoved, punched or bullied by someone else?” asked filmmaker Erahm Christopher. One by one, more than 1,000 students and teachers stood up. The Sparks students reflected on violence and the consequences of bullying through a video presentation by Christopher, an award-winning Montreal filmmaker. The presentation focused on bringing awareness to the various forms bullying can take, which include exclusion, spreading rumors and physical violence. Being aware “I think (awareness) is so important because this monster of bullying is changing so rapidly,” Christopher said. “People don’t even realize when they’re being bullied.” Christopher presented a documentary, ...

The images and sounds from the security video and 9-1-1 tapes of the Columbine High School shooting in 1999 eerily played on the screen. Thornton High School students Wednesday watched black-and-white footage of Columbine teens scattering for safety following gunshots and listened to frantic, scared voices in the 9-1-1 calls. The local students took in the powerful scenes during the "Teen Truth: Live" program, an interactive multimedia presentation teaching youth about the consequences of bullying and school violence. "It made me realize I should start talking to kids who don't have friends," Thornton High senior Dustin Ratima, 17, saidafter the program ...

Teen Truth: Live Posted by Five Mom, Christy Crandell , on Friday, December 28, 2007 I recently saw a film from two local independent directors here in California that made me think about how our children discuss everyday conflicts. I found the 22-minute documentary to be unique because it is told from the first-hand accounts of students. The filmmakers show the video at events held at middle and high schools, and then invite the audience to discuss the issues they face every day. The presentation, Teen Truth: Live, provides a forum for students to talk about how they handle peer pressure and make ...