Free Screening of 'Paper Tigers'

WAITSBURG – The public is invited to attend a special screening of Paper Tigers at the Waitsburg Plaza Theater (on Main Street) at 6:30 p.m. on March 19. The award-winning documentary explores the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and toxic stress on struggling teens. Due to graphic content and language, the showing is limited to adults only.

Paper Tigers follows a year in the life of an alternative high school that has radically changed its approach to disciplining its students and in the process has become a promising model for how to break the cycles of poverty, violence and disease that affect families. 

Jim Sporleder, principal at Lincoln Alternative High School in Walla Walla, Washington, a school riddled with violence, drugs and truancy, discovered that stressed brains can’t learn. Following six students over the course of a school year, Principal Sporleder and his staff tried a new approach to discipline. It was based on understanding and treatment rather than judgement and suspension.

This free event includes popcorn and childcare (for children who are potty trained only) at Waitsburg Elementary from 6:15 to 8:45.