Multiple Choice offers Bold Look at Future of American Education
newportFILM to host world premiere of Ted Dintersmith’s latest thought-provoking documentary; Panel discussion to follow with renowned education voice Tony Wagner
NEWPORT, R.I. — Multiple Choice, the latest documentary film from award-winning producer Ted Dintersmith, spotlights a groundbreaking educational approach where career-based learning and traditional academics are seamlessly integrated. The film, which follows students and teachers through the successful and innovative program at the Emil & Grace Shihadeh Innovation Center in Winchester, Virginia, will have its world premiere in Newport, Rhode Island on September 18 at 7 p.m.
“Every student deserves the opportunity to realize their full potential,” said Ted Dintersmith. “Winchester’s Innovation Center shows us what’s possible when schools move past U.S. education’s obsolete model. The Innovation Center empowers students with agency, purpose, and relevant skills. I’ve visited hundreds of schools nationwide and was blown away by Winchester’s model—education at its very best. Multiple Choice captures this story and will inspire urgently-needed innovation in our schools to keep pace with our increasingly-innovative world.”
Winchester’s Innovation Center immerses every student in hands-on, real-world experiences in fields ranging from carpentry and welding to cybersecurity, digital media, and Artificial Intelligence. The model has led to rising graduation rates, thriving graduates, and a revitalized local economy. Graduates heading directly into careers hit the ground running. Those pursuing college submit standout applications and make an informed choice of their courses and major based on relevant real-world experience.
The film’s director Charles Haine notes, “Multiple Choice is about integrating academics with real-world skills. Classical ideas develop deep thinking, while hands-on applications cement those lessons in ways that stick—and prepare students for the real world.”
With artificial intelligence disrupting labor markets, even graduates of top colleges will struggle to find meaningful employment. Multiple Choice offers a timely, hopeful vision of how schools and education departments can prepare young people for “safe-from-AI” careers and lives of purpose.
The world premiere screening is a partnership with newportFILM with support from BankNewport and Discover Newport.
“Multiple Choice raises urgent questions and sparks a much-needed conversation about how we prepare students, and how American education must evolve,” said newportFILM Executive Director Cathleen Carr. “Ted Dintersmith, a leader in the national education conversation, and director Charles Haine have created a bold, compelling, and optimistic film, and we’re proud to host its world premiere to launch this important dialogue.”
Immediately following the screening, Dintersmith and Haine will facilitate a panel discussion with renowned educational advocate and thought leader Tony Wagner, Winchester Public Schools Superintendent Jason Van Deukelum, and an Innovation Center student. The discussion will touch on how the Innovation Center’s breakthrough model can spark urgently needed change in schools in Rhode Island and across the country.
As part of the premiere event, Charter Books will host a pop-up bookstore, where attendees can purchase signed copies of Tony Wagner’s new book Mastery: Why Deeper Learning Is Essential in an Age of Distraction, along with other books by Wagner and Dintersmith.
Tickets for this newportFILM event featuring the film Multiple Choice are available here.
About Ted Dintersmith
Ted Dintersmith is an author, speaker, film producer, and leading education innovator whose work explores the intersection of education, innovation, and democracy. As founder of the nonprofit What School Could Be, he champions preparing young people for purposeful lives in a world shaped by rapidly advancing technology. A former top-ranked U.S. venture capitalist, Dintersmith holds a PhD in Engineering from Stanford and has been recognized nationally for his contributions to education, including the NEA’s Friend of Education Award. His latest film, Multiple Choice, is distributed by Roco Films, with impact support from What School Could Be. For more information, visit whatschoolcouldbe.org/multiplechoice.