Students in a service-learning class in the College of Education’s school counseling program set out last fall to raise awareness of the challenges children with emotional/behavioral disorders face in public schools.
Their project will culminate when they join several local organizations to host a screening of the documentary, Who Cares About Kelsey? at 7 p.m. on Feb. 13 at Ciné, 234 Hancock Ave.
The event is sponsored by the Cottage/Child Advocacy Center, Rutland Academy, Nuci’s Space, Georgia State University’s Center for Leadership in Disability, the UGA Office of Service-Learning and the UGA College of Education’s school counseling and empowered youth programs.
Director Dan Habib’s film follows the life of Kelsey Carroll, a high school student diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, who also carries the emotional scars of homelessness and abuse. It focuses on the road she was headed down, the success she earned and the school which reformed challenging youth from “overpowering” to “empowering.”
The idea to host a community screening of the film arose during a service-learning class held at the Rutland Academy, one of 24 Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support schools, said Jolie Daigle, an associate professor and coordinator of UGA’s school counseling program.
“UGA’s College of Education has a Professional Development School District partnership with Clarke County public schools, part of which involves placing professors-in-residence in schools to supervise student internships, provide professional development training and consultation, and to serve in leadership roles,” said Daigle.
This year, she is serving as the professor-in-residence at Rutland Academy.
“Students with emotional and behavioral disabilities receive full instruction, positive behavior and intervention supports at Rutland Academy,” Daigle said.
In addition, 14 UGA counseling students were placed at Rutland Academy this year as part of the service-learning course, which is a requirement in the UGA school counseling program.