On the 18th of January a movie screening was held as part of our cu-curricular activity for this month's theme; 'Break the Ice' month at Bilik Tayangan, SMK BSD (1) for all Interact Club members. After a few announcements and a Facebook flyer release, prior to the screening date, the attendees were beyond our expectations as this was our second meeting, ever. Members started pouring in at 2pm, as well as our beloved head teacher Pn. Anis, carrying in their hands some snacks and beverages to share among others (as we decided to do a small potluck, which turned out not being that 'small' after all).
 Plus, what's a movie without snacks right? Crackers, chips, junk food, chocolates were our substitute for cinema-norms, popcorn. The movie chosen was entitled, The Freedom Writers starring Hilary Swank. Some AJK and committee members in-charged stayed back to make the bilik tayangan felt and looked more movie-friendly. With chairs stacked-up and pushed aside, floors swept, mats and sleeping bags laid out on the floor, air-conditioner turned on and projector and computer problems (which gave mini heart attacks to the committee members the whole day) being resolved. The movie began!

Through-out the 2 hours duration of the movie, we had our eyes glued on the screen. Following the bond that the students and Ms. Gruwell built and increasingly up-scaled from class to class, lesson to lesson. For instance, the 'Line Game' that Ms. Gruwell asked the students to play that symbolised how similar they were to each other. Some of the questions asked were, "how many people around you have you seen dead?", "do you listen to Snoop Dog?", "have you been to jail?" and the list went on. They also learned about the Holocaust and the ugliness that it could bring. Moved by this, they worked together, fund-raising just to bring Miep Gies, the woman who sheltered Anne Frank who was in-hiding during the German occupation, to class. On top of that, the students also wrote stories in a diary. Stories of their life for Ms. Gruwell to read. Which is now had been published into a real book titled, The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them. Their journey together blurred the lines of racial superiority, of their skin colours, of the war they had to fight at the streets. Their classroom became a safe place, a home and a sanctuary. Most importantly, a place they felt belonged. By 5pm the movie ended and I'm pretty sure everyone went home with a sense of satisfaction on how amazing the movie was and also different thoughts and perspectives on discrimination and the only thing it will bring is never peace.


All in all, it was a well-spent day. By looking on the great members, the one and only teacher in the club and the things and motives the club strives and stands for, I foresee this club providing top-notch awesomeness to our out-of-classroom-activity-​that-is-usually-a-total-bore. Hence, I'm definitely eager for more activities to come!

Labels: event

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