How We Started: 

Five years ago, a group of 9th graders attending Cody High School, in Detroit, MI, expressed interest in filmmaking to their IT Teacher, Ms. Sareta Cheathem.  Cheathem is a local filmmaker and the students were all aware of her making films with known celebrities.  Under her direction they wrote & produced a short film entitled “Why Bully Me?”   Local filmmakers in the city volunteered their time to assist the youth in shooting their 1st movie.  Unfortunately, the camera man was robbed in front of the school and all of their footage was stolen.  The students were left with nothing and their dreams of becoming filmmakers were shattered by one armed robber.  

 

 

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How We Overcame: 

Determined to keep her promise and not allow the students hard work go to waste, Cheathem took it a step further and created a Go Fund Me Campaign raising $300.  She knew that the students deserved to make a the film and she did not want them to give up hope in doing so.  With additional help from private donors, that following summer the 12-minute short film on bullying, “Why Bully Me?” was complete.  In 2020 the Anti-Bullying film was accepted into 3 film festivals and shown all over the world.  It has also been shown during Anti-Bullying Campaigns.  The students goal of encouraging youth NOT to BULLY one another had finally come to pass.

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