Screening of Anytown USA student films of Siler City

Date and Time: Thursday, May 25, 2017 

                                7:00pm to 9:00pm

Location: American Tobacco Campus – Power Plant: Full Frame Theater Map

Despite popular misconceptions, the overwhelming majority of North Carolinians live in towns of 5,000 people or less. We are a state of small towns. In fact, NC has the second-most number of small towns in the country. But all is not well. The mass exodus of manufacturing abroad as well as urban flight has devastated small towns. Many are on the verge of disappearing forever.

Anytown USA, created and taught by Randolph Benson, is an annual filmmaking production and editing course in which one small town is featured. Intermediate to advanced continuing education student filmmakers tell stories of their choice within the town. Together the short films form a nuanced, intimate portrait of communities as they struggle to survive. This year’s class focused on the town of Siler City, NC.

Students will screen their films at the Full Frame Theater at a free, public event.

https://mfaeda.duke.edu/events/screening-anytown-usa-student-films-siler-city-nc

Job Fair at the Siler City Center 5/30/17

BelFlex Staffing will be holding a job fair at the Siler City Center next Tuesday, May 30 from 10:00 – 2:00 and from 6:00 to 9:00 in Room 230. For more information, come to room 215 and 219 and get a flyer.

 

Siler City Film Debut

Free Admission:

Place: The Oasis, Siler City’s Open Air Market

Time: Friday, May 19 at 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM EDT

Join us starting at 4PM with Laura Jane Vincent and her husband on drums as she sings her songs. 4-6:30 PM
Jeff German performing on acoustic guitar and vocals, with his pedal steel player 6:45-8PM

Smokehouse Bistro, SilkHope Winery, Bear Creek Brews, High Country Kettle Corn, Sweet Southern Ice, and one of the most unique shopping experience. Bounce with US and concessions

At 8:15 PM join us for the 2017 Siler City Documentary Debut, production of Anytown USA. This is a product of the continuing education course at the Center for Documentary Studies taught by veteran instructor and filmmaker Randy Benson. Anytown, USA, has once again spotlighted a small town in North Carolina, Siler City. Seating is first come bring your blanket or folding chair. In case of rain the debut will be at Peppercorn 138 N Chatham Ave.

The Bookmobile

Story Corps are my FAVORITE stories because they are compelling and inspirational. Also, the English of the storytellers is usually clear and easy to understand. This story has some illustrations that enhance it. I’d like to invite you to complete a series of tasks before you start listening to the story.

1. Watch the video below. TURN OFF the audio and the CLOSED CAPTIONS (CC)
2. Write and post a brief summary of the story. Who? What?  What happened? Where? When? Why?

3. Watch the video again WITHOUT closed captions. Was your story similar to or different from the storyteller’s? What was different? Can you make any personal connections to this story? What does it remind you of? (make connections at a personal level). Post your personal reflections.

CHALLENGE: transcribe part of the story and then compare it to the transcript in YouTube.

https://goo.gl/images/Zk7188

Career Awareness Friday: Successful Teamwork

Students in ESL, HSE, and BELL Academy participated in the The Marshmallow Challenge: build a tower in 18 minutes by using spaghetti, a marshmallow, string, and masking tape.

Students also reflected on the kind of role and behavior they had while completing this task. 

 

​

​​

​

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Short Story: “Ambush” by Tim O’Brien

Students read the short story “Ambush” by Tim O’Brien and through the writer’s use of imagery, they illustrated it. Students also learned about the context (Vietnam War – My Khen, 1968) and O’Brien’s use of Frame of Reference.

Further analysis of the story: 

https://prezi.com/lsvcv2jyqud1/ambush-by-tim-o-brien/