MY HERO DOCUMENTARY TO AIR DEC. 8th ON SOCAL PBS OC WORLD

CONTACT:                                                                                              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Santos Herrera
Director
MY HERO International Film Festival
[email protected]

MY HERO'S REEL HEROES: STUDENT FILMS AND FILMMAKERS DOC TO RUN ON KLCS-PBS OC WORLD DECEMBER 8TH AT 5PM

DECEMBER 5, 2025 - LAGUNA BEACH, CA - The MY HERO documentary Reel Heroes: Student Films and Filmmakers will showcase inspiring student films from the MY HERO archives on PBS in Southern California. The 25 minute documentary includes short films by a diverse range of student filmmakers, focusing on the everyday heroes working to make the world a better place. The film was made possible with generous support from the Scripps Family Impact Fund. It will air at 5 p.m. on Monday, December 8th. 

Reel Heroes: Student Films and FilmmakersMY HERO

The show, hosted by artist and filmmaker Saint George Thompson, will air as part of OC World, an award-winning nonprofit multimedia company that produces Orange County's public affairs, news and feature programming. 

This 25-minute program includes excerpts from award-winning short films and interviews with students filmmakers, recognized by the MY HERO International Film Festival over the years including:

• Tommy, by Logan Cascio, tells the story of Tommy Carroll, a blind teen whose passion for skateboarding and drumming defies all odds. 
  
  
• Ablaye, by Fary Sarko of Dakar, Senegal, shines a light on an extraordinary young man whose courage and determination to break through every barrier inspires everyone around him. 
  
  
• Smoke That Travels, by Kayla Briët, is a powerful film that explores the rich cultural identity of being Native American.
  
  
• Bombingham, by Gabrielle Gorman is an experimental film that portrays a painful chapter in America’s civil rights history.
  
  
• Fire Relief Boutique: A Story About Community, by Sage Starkovich, highlights the incredible efforts of a group of students at her school to collect and organize donations for those whose homes were destroyed in the Los Angeles fires.
  
  
• When the Devil Smoked in Paradise, by Katherine Lao, shows a humble group of citizens who found their voices to fight a Goliath corporation and the politicians who backed it. 

"We are thrilled to share the 30-year Anniversary of The MY HERO Project on this upcoming program, which showcases the extraordinary stories of everyday heroes. This collaboration reflects our shared mission to inspire, empower, and elevate the voices of individuals who are making a real difference in their communities. At OC World, we believe in the power of narrative to transform perspectives, and we can’t wait for our audience to experience these personal stories."    — Scott Hays, Co-founder / Executive Producer, OC World.

After the initial broadcast, Reel Heroes: Student Films and Filmmakers can be viewed on the KLCS-PBS YouTube channel.

MY HERO Journalism and Filmmaking WorkbookMY HERO 

The film is a companion video to the MY HERO Journalism & Filmmaking Workbook, written by Jonah Steinhart with a foreword by Esther Wojcicki. The book is currently being used in schools across the nation and is available to download online or order in print through Amazon. Order your copy here. 

Friends of MY HERO, and teachers reading this newsletter may request a free digital download of the workbook. Email [email protected], with the subject line "educator workbook request."

Watch Reel Heroes: Student Films and Filmmakers at 5 p.m. on Monday 8 December on KLCS-PBS. Southern Californians can watch it live on KLCS.org, or on local KLCS-PBS television stations. Click here to find KLCS in your coverage area. 

About OC World 

OC World is an award-winning, nonprofit multimedia company that produces Orange County’s sole public affairs news and feature programming. OC World airs on KLCS-PBS, a multiple Emmy Award-winning station that broadcasts to 15.5 million households from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

About KLCS-PBS

KLCS (channel 58) is a tertiary PBS member television station in Los Angeles, California, United States. Owned by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), it is one of eight television stations in the U.S. that are operated by a local school system.

About The MY HERO Project

The MY HERO Project is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to celebrating unsung heroes through stories, art, music, and film. For 30 years, MY HERO has provided free media arts tools and curriculum that are now used in 197 countries and all 50 states. Learn more at myhero.com. Check out the profile and Q&A with MY HERO Co-founder and Director Jeanne Meyers at the OC World Media Club website.