International Wildlife Film Festival raises funds for local students

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

As part of Sandpoint’s Winter Carnival, The Hive (207 N. First Ave.) will host a special showing of the International Wildlife Film Festival’s 2024 lineup to raise money for Sandpoint High School students working to restore coral reefs in the Dominican Republic. 

Many of the students will help out at the screening, Sunday, Feb. 16, at 6:15 p.m., which will also include raffles and an auction.

John Hastings’ A.P. environmental science class at SHS had the idea to volunteer after learning about the devastating effects of rising ocean temperatures on the world’s coral reefs.

“From an earlier diving trip, I knew of a couple small-scale organizations working to restore the reefs in front of their homes. They are thrilled to get our help, and the students who go on these trips are truly having a positive impact on their world,” said Hastings.

“Because the organizations we work with are small, our students are very hands-on and doing important work,” he added.

In addition to helping the planet, the students gain eye-opening cultural experiences while exploring the island and practicing their Spanish.

“When not working on the reef, we take dance classes — as Dominicans love to dance any chance they get. We take Dominican cooking classes so students experience firsthand the rich food traditions of the D.R. We travel around the island to experience its biodiversity,” said Hastings.

The collection of short films includes Fundacion Ecologica Magua, a deep-dive into one of the organizations with which students will volunteer, as well as stories about conservation efforts for creatures as different as caddisflies and Yellowstone’s cuddly otters.

Among the many films shown, The Return of Nóouhàh-Toka’na highlights efforts by the Aaniiih and Nakoda tribes and the Smithsonian to reintroduce the swift fox, which inhabited North America from Canada to Texas before 20th-century predator control programs decimated the population.

Likewise, Under the Wire explores a community’s efforts to change fence lines to allow pronghorns to travel their native scrubland freely. The deer-like animals have inhabited North America since the Pleistocene era and are more closely related to giraffes than any other creatures.

School of Fish illustrates the ancient connection between Alaska’s Indigenous people and salmon and how younger generations are fighting for their traditional way of life against the Pebble Mine, which threatens to pollute Bristol Bay, Alaska.

See all these and more, and participate in raffles and auctions with prizes like a day of sailing, local art and Dominican rum.

“The films are inspiring. The work our local students do is even more inspiring,” Hastings said. “Several students are taking this trip for a second time as they really believe in the work we do, the people we help, and the fun we have. Please come and support them.”

For more information on the free film festival, visit livefromthehive.com. The suggested donation is $20 at the door.