KARMA Rescue Animal Film Festival

K-12 STEAM Education

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative

We know that nearly 50% of children in grades four through twelve have been bullied by peers at least once. In other words, they have experienced abuse or mistreatment by someone perceived as stronger or more powerful. Those that have been the targets of bullying can suffer long-lasting impacts well into adulthood. Children engage in abusive behavior toward animals and others because they have learned that violence and intimidation are appropriate means for interaction, and we know that children who demonstrate bullying behavior are more likely to engage in domestic violence, criminality, and substance abuse later in life. There is stacked evidence indicating a direct correlation between such behaviors and a deficit in the development of empathy. KARMA's unique Animal Film Festival (KRAFF), with evidence-based training approaches, supports social and emotional learning and moves the needle to building healthy, humane communities starting with elementary-age children.

KARMA Rescue has devised a humane education program to end this cycle in childhood when developing empathy is more easily accomplished. KARMA's unique Animal Film Festival (KRAFF), with evidence-based training approaches, supports social and emotional learning and moves the needle to building healthy, humane communities starting with elementary-age children. KARMA Rescue will officially launch KRAFF beginning in October 2023 in the Los Angeles Unified School District. This educational program will mimic traditional film festivals using short animal films KARMA is soliciting from amateur filmmakers and film school students. Films are designed to raise awareness about the sentience of animals, highlight the bond between humans and non-humans, celebrate how we can all be animal heroes (human and non-human!), explore relationships between different species, and demonstrate the interconnection between animals, humans, and the environment. In addition to watching the films, students will be engaged in dialogue about the films and will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of hands-on activities to further explore the content and what it means to be an Animal Protector and a solutionary. At the conclusion of the program, each child will be given a badge identifying them as an Animal Protector. Family oriented take-home packets will be shared with students on the final day of the pro0gram to provide a link between the film festival experience and home learning.

KARMA Rescue envisions ending the cycle of bullying using KRAFF, a film festival using evidence-based training approaches that supports social and emotional learning and moves the needle to building healthy, humane communities starting with elementary-age children to be upstanders and not bystanders. First KARMA plans to expand KRAFF throughout the LAUSD. As the program gains traction, evaluation data, and testimonials - as we learn and improve - KRAFF will be expanded beyond LAUSD through activities such as training and dissemination of the curriculum.

KRAFF Humane Education is a flexible, best practice intervention that will incorporate both formative and impact evaluation elements to ensure continuous learning and improvement supported by curriculum. Over time, the aim is to replicate and expand KRAFF, thereby infusing empathy building into school and after school programs. Pervasive development of empathy benefits all beings in our communities, and especially each other. Beyond the development of empathy, KRAFF guides the development of solutionaries, those who look for ways to solve problems and conflicts peacefully. Humane Education "prepare(s) people to be compassionate, dedicated solutionaries, able to identify unjust, inhumane, and unsustainable systems and create solutions that enable people, animals, and nature to thrive."