Part 2:
Sparking the Fire
What inspires young people to become compassionate, informed and engaged citizens of the world? World Wise Adventures does it by creating an exciting, integrated experience that includes making films, doing service work and sharing interactions with diverse local and global communities.
The positive effects of this project extend beyond these guiding principles to benefit not only the youth who participate in the service trips, but also the communities they help, the nonprofit organizations that serve those communities, and young children everywhere, who will be exposed to global cultures through the sharing of stories, films and educational activities.
Example 1
Filmmaking & Service in Israel for Teens
The adventure started with three days in Tel Aviv at a filimmaking boot camp, where students learned the tools of the trade with Israeli students at a media-focused school for at-risk youth. The following week we spent working on a service project with young students at a pioneer Arab Waldorf school in Israel.
The sightseeing part of the trip began with our students performing music at Beit Uri, a residential community for developmentally disabled children and adults. From there they enjoyed six days full of cultural immersion in Israel, including amazing hikes, history, sites, scenery, friendships and unforgettable experiences.
Students shot and produced two videos: The one below is is about their service project and experiences traveling in Israel. They also created a short film for the Arab school, where we did our week of service. The school is using it for fundraising and community support. You can see it on YouTube here.
Example 2
Skeletons & Sea Turtles in Mexico for Children
Skeletons and Sea Turtles is a film for children about family, culture and conservation. This poignant and beautiful tale follows a young boy in Oaxaca, Mexico, who is looking for a way to honor his grandfather on Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), an annual fiesta celebrating loved ones who have died. His journey takes him from potential predator to devoted protector of the endangered sea turtles that nest on the beach near his home.
Skeletons and Sea Turtles celebrates differences, draws attention to the things all children have in common, teaches understanding, respect and tolerance and promotes environmental accountability. This story is special, not only because it teaches the value of coexistence and protecting the natural world, but it also immerses viewers in the traditions and lifestyle of another culture — creating a unique form of rich, engaging education that can be shared with children and adults around the world.
Once completed, the project Skeletons and Sea Turtles will include the film and a dynamic interactive curriculum about Mexican cultural traditions and the endangered sea turtles.
This short video introduces you to the film (and our Kickstarter campaign to finish it).
The Backstory
World Wise Adventures (WWA) is the newest project of Maiden Voyage Productions, a California nonprofit corporation. Founder Gail Evenari’s skills and experiences, acquired over the past four decades, have led her on a long and rich path to this undertaking. Since starting a small school in Oakland in 1974, Gail has written textbooks and educational guides, produced award-winning documentary films about indigenous cultures, and traveled extensively in Europe, the Pacific Islands and the United States, as well as in China and Israel. She has also taught film to high schools students and worked with nonprofits on fundraising, marketing and communications. These experiences helped her to crystallize the World Wise Adventures vision — and to recognize the profound value it can have for high school students, as well as for nonprofits and the communities they support.