“We printed 15 million names on a roll call sheet–one name illustrative of every chronically absent student in the U.S.”
So begins “Being Present Matters,” a new public service campaign from Communities In Schools® (CIS®), the national organization that has worked for the past 47 years to ensure all K-12 students, regardless of their ability, zip code or socioeconomic background, have access to the resources they need to realize their full potential in school and beyond.
In this latest PSA created by agency M&C Saatchi SS+K, young women and men take attendance in empty schools across the country while a larger-than-life, six-foot-tall “Longest Roll” etched with the names of 15 million absentee students barrels down a vacant school hallway and campus. It represents the millions of children whose lives are affected by not showing up to school, which was exacerbated by the global pandemic in 2020. Also addressed in the PSA–directed by Dorothy Allen-Pickard via production house Sweet Group–are the obstacles that lead to their lack of attendance: “Transportation absent; WiFi absent; childcare for siblings absent; housing absent, healthcare absent; mental health support and anti-bullying absent.”
The solution for these 15 million kids at risk of being left behind? Being present matters for both students and adults. Caring adults can make a huge difference in a student’s life. That’s why CIS site coordinators are trained to be the ultimate caring connectors. “With chronic absenteeism growing in America, the work Communities In Schools does is more important than ever,” said Stevie Archer, chief creative officer, M&C Saatchi SS+K. “They not only make it easier for kids to show up, but help 99 percent of them graduate. We were inspired to bring that story to life with a huge, 15-million-name roll call. It helps people understand the scale of the issue, with real CIS site coordinators showing how they help fight that massive problem.”
CreditsClient Communities In Schools® (CIS®) Agency M&C Saatchi SS+K Stevie Archer, chief creative officer; Margie Chidley, Lucas Crigler, creative directors; Benita Noble, associate creative director, art director; Rick Morrison, associate creative director, writer; John Swartz, managing director, production + operations; Shawn Smith, executive producer, art; Chris Lenz, executive producer, film; Tamara Treu, sr. producer; Kevin Skobac, managing director, strategy; Elena Claro, strategy director. Production Company Sweet Group Dorothy Allen-Pickard, director; Shelly Townsend, exec producer; Jennifer Brisick, head of production Joseph Falasca, line producer. Editorial Cut+Run Ethan Mitchell, editor; Marcia Wigley, producer. Music Interval Michael Dragovic, composer.
Filmmaker Natalie Johns Creates Spec Gun Violence Prevention PSA
Her social media feed is filled with frustration and “prayers” for families torn apart by yet another mass shooting as filmmaker Natalie Johns is engaged in the morning ritual of negotiating school attendance with her 4½-year-old. Between laughing and arguing with their daughter, the Johns think deeply about the prospect of waking up without her--deeply enough to feel an inch of what it might be like to lose her--a feeling profound enough inspire her most personal commitment to date as a filmmaker.
“Gun violence should not be a normalized part of life in America,” she noted. “I felt it was worth putting my whole heart on the line to deliver this message.”
The director invited her long-time collaborator and cinematographer, Bill Kirstein (Mean Girls, Happyend), to capture their family’s experience over several mornings in a spec PSA. She wanted to capture her own joy and truth as a parent with a view to inspiring action from the deepest love she has known.
On the third day of filming, Johns received an email from their daughter’s preschool notifying parents of a lockdown that had occurred due to a gunman outside the school. The children, aged 2-5, were gathered in a small bathroom for an hour, singing songs with their teachers while the man was apprehended by law enforcement. This was the family’s first narrow escape from tragedy.
“The coincidence of filming this PSA and experiencing my family’s first lockdown was both shocking and surreal. I simply could not wrap my head around it,” said director Johns.
Even more terrifying for Johns was discussing the incident with other parents who had already experienced several lockdowns with their older children. This reality is all too common and far too... Read More