Caregiving – a new documentary and national engagement campaign on the state and stakes of providing care in America.
Rhode Island is the only state in the country that surveys its public school students to determine which ones have caregiving responsibilities. In the meantime, The Apprenticeship Exploration School, a charter high school in Rhode Island, is already working one-on-one with students to help them address their challenges balancing school and family caregiving. One of those students is a recent graduate who had missed a sizable number of days during his senior year and was at risk of failing.
After a heart-to-heart, the principal discovered that the student was exhausted from working 4 late-night shifts of gig work to support his family. The principal worked directly with the student to come up with accommodations and a remediation plan that helped the student graduate and complete a school-based job training program that led to a well-paying job. The student is now able to contribute to his family’s care and financial needs better. This short story will be recounted from both the principal’s and the student’s point of view.
Caregiving is a production of Lea Pictures and WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Ark Media. For Ark Media, Chris Durrance serves as Director and Senior Producer; Barak Goodman is Series Producer; and Ruth Fertig is Producer. Executive Producers for Lea Pictures are Bradley Cooper and Weston Middleton. Executive Producers for WETA are John F. Wilson and Tom Chiodo. Producer for WETA is Kate Kelly. Production is managed for WETA by Jim Corbley. Consulting Producer is Paul Irving.
Producer’s Note (Nov. 22, 2024): Funding for Caregiving is provided in part by Otsuka America Pharmaceutical. Funders do not have any editorial input whatsoever in Caregiving, including the selection of featured caregivers.
