Barb's video: CHILDREN OF THE WOLVES Official Trailer

If you'd like to learn more and hear from the production team and student cast members, as well a see a work-in-progress scene - register for our exclusive Zoom webinar TODAY (Thursday, February 8th) at 6pm MT! In addition, the next $1,000 in donations will be MATCHED by a generous donor! If you haven't donated yet, now is the BEST TIME because it's worth double the value! Event registration link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/children-of-the-wolves-exclusive-sneak-peak-tickets-820452123387?aff=oddtdtcreator THESIS STATEMENT: The State of Idaho wants to cull more than half of its wolves. Boise-area high schoolers are raising concerns about the accuracy of state data on Canis lupus, calling for its federal protection. What will it mean for us, wolves, and the future of wildlife management? MISSION STATEMENT: Our mission is to amplify the voices of a generation that will be affected most, yet included least in today's wildlife management discussions. Giving the microphone to Gen Z, along with experts on all sides, will help us understand wolves, teens, and the politics of the world in-between. THE STORY: In 1995, the federal government reintroduced wolves to central Idaho. A few years later, then newly-opened Timberline High School, with the wolf as their mascot, officially adopted a local wolf pack. This meant that as data was collected on wolves, a specific pack near Idaho City was designated as the Timberline "T" Pack. Throughout the 2000s, students would go on wolf tracking trips in the T-Pack's range, but as the wolf population dwindled, slowly the trips dwindled, and interest started to fade... that is, until 2021, when the T-Pack's 8 pups were reported to be slaughtered by federal agents, along with several adult members of the pack. The killings ultimately disbanded what was once the T-Pack. CHILDREN OF THE WOLVES is an observational and expository documentary about the complicated past of wolves in Idaho, shown through the lens of young people fighting to keep them around. The film will follow key players in Teens Restoring Earth’s Environment, a club at Timberline High School, and their efforts to raise awareness about Idaho’s methods of controlling the wolf population– which the state announced in early 2023 will be culled by 60%. Since then, Ella has been busy giving speeches to Idaho Fish & Game while studying for AP statistics. Sasha has been writing to congressmen in the same hour she’s getting ready for prom. Amid the chaos of growing up, generations of teenagers have gone to D.C., spoken in front of the state legislature and fought for the welfare of packs that are still alive. The fate of the wolves lies in the hands of teens, and whether their message is heard or not. This film will use observational moments of kids being kids juxtaposed with them advocating to the masses. We’ll also get a timeline of events from experts in The Nez Perce tribe, wolf biologist Carter Niemeyer, Idaho Fish & Game, as well as environmental groups and local ranchers to provide context and depth to the TREE kids’ message. About the Director I’ve always been interested in the environment, since I was a baby on my parents’ backs as they hiked all over the West, to now as a filmmaker focused on the intersection of people and nature. I’m interested in directing a film about conservation through the lens of the community most impacted, yet least heard. I want to use my voice and platform as a filmmaker to share a youth perspective on western wildlife politics. Sasha and Ella are just a few out of millions of youth interested in working with wildlife, and CHILDREN OF THE WOLVES will help us understand what it’s like to be a young person participating in wildlife politics. Do kids deserve a seat at the table? And perhaps more importantly, what are the consequences of not including the next generation in today’s wildlife decision-making? The T.R.E.E. teens have been speaking up since 2021 about the lack of federal protection of gray wolves. Will they be successful in their efforts to get the species relisted as endangered, or will their concerns go ignored again? And, what does that mean for our futures?