Fly By Light is an intimate exploration of young people seeking to overcome the violence in their lives and create a new path for their future by connecting to a world outside their neighborhoods.
In Washington, DC, where high school dropout rates average 40%, a group of teenagers participates in an ambitious peace education youth program that takes them out of their tough neighborhoods and into the beautiful mountains of West Virginia. For the first time in their lives, Mark, Asha, Martha, and Corey play in mountain streams, sing under the stars, and confront the entrenched abuse, violence and neglect of their past.
The week-long outing is part of the 9 month Fly By Light program that uses nature immersion, music, art, conflict resolution, and social-emotional learning techniques to help young people overcome the trauma, grief and anger they often hold inside – and that holds them back.
Taken outside their comfort zone, and showered with support from caring mentors, we witness the city walls come down and their full selves emerge, armed with a greater sense of life’s possibilities. The film follows the four as they return home, where each continues over the next year to face different hurdles and roadblocks they must confront to build a better life.
The film provides a window into the immense pain and challenges that many young people carry today, while also showing their incredible capacity for transformation when given the support and tools to better understand themselves and their potential, and to connect with others in a positive way.