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Sunday, November 15, 2026Nov 15

Chattanooga film chronicles life at Howard School (with video)

photo A member of the Howard School marching band plays the sousaphone at a fall home football game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfw3ha6EiwQ

‘BUILD ME A WORLD’ EVENTSAug. 16: Film premiere at Tivoli Theatre, 7:30 p.m.Aug. 18: The Howard Summit, 10 a.m., the Howard SchoolAug. 22: Camp House Screening, time to be announcedSept. 1: Back Row Film Series Drive-In Screening, time to be announcedOther church and theater screenings to be announced

After spending a year working and filming inside the halls of Howard School, local documentary producers walked away with some lessons of their own.

Drew Belz, co-producer of the documentary “Build Me a World,” said the challenges at a high-poverty and nearly all-black school like Howard represent a communitywide struggle.

“One of the biggest struggles that I think we like to sweep under the rug is the issue of real integration across race lines and poverty lines,” he said “It’s something we don’t like to talk about as a community. And I think Howard represents that struggle in a pretty cogent way.”

In Howard’s students, Belz said he sees struggles and accomplishments common to all people.