Nazareth Hosts Screening of Award-Winning Film, Beginning with the End, April 8
Nazareth College, in collaboration with The Harley School Center for Mindfulness and Empathy Education, is proud to host a film screening of Beginning with the End, An Evening of Learning and Reflection, on April 8, at 6 p.m. in the Forum of the Nazareth College Otto A. Shults Center. It is free and open to the public. The film is a feature length documentary by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker David Marshall that follows the experiences of a culturally diverse group of 16 to 18 year-olds from The Harley School who are given the unusual and extraordinary opportunity to work as trained hospice volunteers. The film was one of eight selected from more than 800 entries for the Grand Jury Award at the 2014 South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas.
The film will be followed by a panel discussion with current and former students in the elective class called “Hospice” at The Harley School, along with their teacher, representatives from hospice homes, and David Marshall (Producer and Director of the film). Beginning with the End is presented by The Harley School Center for Mindfulness and Empathy Education, The Nazareth College Gerontology Program, The Nazareth College Center for Civic Engagement, and The Nazareth College Center for Service Learning.
The film starts at the beginning of a new year at The Harley School in Rochester, where a group of high school seniors gather for an elective class simply called “Hospice.” Many have never had an intimate encounter with death, let alone tended to strangers who are soon to die, and most of the students have no idea what to expect from the class. Yet they have agreed to spend what turns out to be a life-changing year volunteering as caregivers to dying patients at local comfort care homes. It will be a year of beginnings and endings filled with tears and hope, but ultimately an important step in their journey of self-discovery and awakening.
Beginning with the End follows teacher Bob Kane and a select group of teenagers, who have enrolled in his Hospice Class. The students learn practical skills such as how to fluff a pillow, how to turn a person from his/her back to his/her side and simple therapeutic massage. However, the importance of connecting with other human beings is the ultimate life lesson. The film captures this class and the students’ progression from trepid teenagers to confident caregivers learning how to manage their fears. This transformation exemplifies not only young adults growing more confident in themselves but also the changes humans of all ages make as we are forced to confront our own insecurities.
For More Information
Julie Long: 585-389-2456 or jlong2@naz.edu
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.
