Watch ‘Glen’s Village,’ a film about childhood trauma

This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/126298668?loop=0 The Notebook, in collaboration with 5th Borough Films, has produced a 30-minute documentary about the challenging path from West Philadelphia to college taken by University of Pennsylvania student Glen Casey. Now a sophomore, Casey overcame childhood trauma and a life surrounded by drugs and violence to make it to the Ivy League institution.

The documentary, called Glen’s Village, was co-produced by journalists Dorian Geiger and Paul Jablow and directed by Geiger. The film debuted on the Notebook in three installments, and the premiere of the full documentary was held May 1 at the University of Pennsylvania. Casey was part of an animated panel discussion with the audience after the screening.

The documentary, which is part of the Notebook’s yearlong reporting project on trauma and its role in schools. The film shows that with the help of his mother, mentors, counselors, and teachers at University City High School, Glen Casey was able to rise to postsecondary success. It also highlights the impact of trauma on the lives of thousands of Philadelphia students.

The film has garnered interest from groups wanting to screen it. Email us to inquire about organizing your own screening.

To see the entire documentary, submit your request to the Notebook for viewing options of the film.

Read/watch the three-part series and video:

Part 1: From a trauma-filled childhood to the Ivy League

Part 2: A mother reached out, and a son got needed services

Part 3: A student’s turnaround gets him to Penn, despite painful new challenges