Friends of Laupus Library to host film series
Friends of Laupus Library to host film series
The first film in a new educational series hosted by the Friends of Laupus Library will be screened on Sept. 26 at noon in the library’s fourth floor gallery. All East Carolina University students, staff and faculty are invited to watch “Mother Nature’s Child, Growing Outdoors in the Media Age,” which was selected to complement ECU’s Freshman Reading Program.
The film marks a moment in time when a living generation can still recall childhoods of free outdoor play – childhoods that many youth today don’t experience. According to the creators of the film, contemporary culture has undergone drastic change in the last three decades, forcing children indoors where they increasingly exhibit symptoms of “nature deficit:” obesity, depression and a range of learning disorders. “Mother Nature’s Child” explores the various ways that time in nature promotes children’s wellbeing, contributes to the future of the planet and nourishes the human spirit.
The film investigates nature’s role in all aspects of child development — physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual — by examining unstructured outdoor play, parental fears, risk-taking, urban contact with nature, use of media, rites of passage and environmental stewardship. From urban schoolyards to deep wilderness adventures, intimate scenes with children from preschool through adolescence are complemented by insights from parents, teachers and a forum of highly regarded experts, including Richard Louv, author of the best-selling book “Last Child in the Woods.”
The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
For directions or parking information, please visit hsl.ecu.edu/about/directions/.
For more information, please contact Jeff Coghill at coghillj@ecu.edu.
Individuals requesting accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should contact the ADA Coordinator at least 48 hours prior to the event at (252) 737-1018 / ada-coordinator@ecu.edu
-Kelly Rogers Dilda, University Communications