ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
High school students Yakelin Lopez, Farzana Alfrose, and Kushma Monger watch videos about their lives for the first time.
By LEAH DEARBORN
LYNN — The Living in Two Worlds Film and Photo Exhibition on Wednesday, April 12 will allow viewers a peek into the lives of students from around the world.
Peer mediation coordinator Ginny Keenan said the program, which meets once per week, is in its fifth year thanks to funding from the Cummings Foundation/One World Boston and the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation.
Keenan said the films evolve over the course of the year through meetings with individual students, many of whom are recent immigrants. They’re interviewed about their personal stories, which are eventually edited into finished pieces.
“They’re very heartfelt,” said Keenan. “It’s become a real passion to work with these kids … The students stay very connected to it.”
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In addition to the 11 short films, six students will tell their stories through photography with narrative and captions.
This year the program has students from Iraq, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Guatemala. Keenan said they purposefully cultivate a diverse group, and that she has been personally struck by many of their stories.
“Sometimes you don’t know who’s sitting in your class,” said Keenan. “It’s really just a great experience for everybody.”
The festival will be held in the Lynn English High School auditorium from 6-8 p.m.
Leah Dearborn can be reached at [email protected].