Stratford Academy, along with only a handful of organizations throughout the state of Georgia, has been selected to host a free screening of Won\’t You Be My Neighbor? a documentary exploring the life and legacy of Fred Rogers, host of the beloved television program, Mister Rogers\’ Neighborhood. This free event is open to the public and will take place in the Tift Auditorium on the campus of Stratford Academy at 6:30 PM on Monday, February 4. While reservations are not required, space is limited so be sure to arrive early. The documentary is rated PG-13 for instances of adult content and language. Information regarding the documentary is listed below. For additional information about the event, please contact Logan Bowlds, Middle School Principal at 478-477-8073.

For over thirty years, Mister Rogers, an unassuming minister, puppeteer, writer and producer was beamed daily into homes across America. Fred and his cast of puppets and friends spoke directly to young children about some of life\’s weightiest issues, in a simple, direct fashion. There hadn\’t been anything like Mr. Rogers on television before and there hasn\’t been since.Though he may be best known today as a soft-spoken, cardigan-wearing children\’s television host, in reality, Fred Rogers\’ career represents a sustained attempt to present a coherent, beneficent view about how we should best speak to children about important matters and how television could be used as a positive force in our society.

In Won\’t You Be My Neighbor?, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (Twenty Feet from Stardom) looks back on the legacy of Fred Rogers, focusing on his radically kind ideas. While the nation changed around him, Fred Rogers stood firm in his beliefs about the importance of protecting childhood.