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Reading Rainbow visits a school in New York City to ask the class how they have coped since the past year when the World Trade Center was destroyed nearby, a...
- 29 min
- 565.6K
- Reading Rainbow (Official)
A lonely, old man who lives in a gray place, surrounded by other people’s discards, builds the forest of his dreams. Deeply affected by the events of Septemb...
- 29 min
- 9.7K
- Reading Rainbow (Official)
The Tin Forest: With LeVar Burton, Jeff Bridges. LeVar visits a school in New York City to ask the class how they have coped since the past year when the World Trade Center was destroyed nearby, and they had to evacuate and some children lost family members.
- Animation, Comedy, Drama
- 27
- 2002
- LeVar Burton, Jeff Bridges
- Overview
- Synopsis
- Review Books
- Trivia
"The Tin Forest" is Episode 1 in Season 19. It originally aired on September 3, 2002.
The episode begins on what LeVar explains looks like "a typical day in a typical neighborhood" as they show scenes in New York City. But he then explains that the neighborhood he's in isn't typical at all, because not too far from where he was standing is what was known as "Ground Zero". It was there that on the morning of September 11, 2001, a horrible tragedy occurred as two airplanes crashed into each tower of the World Trade Center. But the buildings weren't there anymore because they collapsed and he explains that September 11th "was a dangerous and a very frightening time for everybody". He showcased how the World Trade Center used to be a towering figure over the neighborhood he's in, but after the events of September 11th, most of Lower Manhattan was covered in dust and debris. LeVar also explains that rescue teams sent from all over the city and country worked day and night "to help those who were in trouble and get everyone back home". Now, one year later, the people of the city are working together to rebuild their neighborhood and lives and fill their future with hope.
LeVar visits PS 234 in New York City for a round table discussion with the students to find out how they coped with the events of September 11th. The students and staff were a few days into the new school year when, like so many people on that day, everyone at PS 234 had to evacuate from the danger in Lower Manhattan and didn't return until several months later. They attended St. Bernard's, and though it didn't have the same amenities as PS 234 had (like not many desks or chairs), the students and staff were determined to be brave and make the most out of their situation. LeVar talks to the students about how they have dealt with the tremendous upheaval in their lives since September 11th. Together, they make a music video expressing their message of hope and gratitude to everyone who supported them following the events of September 11th. They also create a mural which shows all of the countries where gifts and good wishes were sent.
LeVar also showcases some of the gifts school children in other countries sent to the students and staff of PS 234 to reach out and let them know they weren't alone such as a series of paper cranes from kids in Japan. He explains that everything the children received after the events of September 11th were messages of love, lifting their spirits and playing a major role in their process of healing.
LeVar concludes the episode by reminding the viewers that sometimes, bad things do happen, and the world can often feel like a scary place to be, even though we all wish it was perfect and if we could make it that way, we would. But, in the presence of others, kindness, generosity of the human spirit, and love would always triumph and then, as Levar explains, "We can get through even the toughest of times."
•Mole Music by David McPhail
•On That Day: A Book of Hope for Children by Andrea Patel
•This is the first episode in which the theme song is rerecorded in a more modern style. It featured Chaka Khan on lead vocals. LeVar appeared in the opening credits.
Sep 2, 2021 · The Tin Forest. Deeply affected by the events of September 11, LeVar spends the day with the students of P.S. 234, an elementary school just blocks away from Ground Zero. Challenged by tremendous ...
- 29 min
Reading Rainbow | The Tin Forest | Remembering 9/11. Two stories, one fictional and one real-life, demonstrate the healing power of the human spirit. In Helen Ward's book The Tin Forest, a sad old man decides to change things and gradually transforms his surroundings from gloomy and lonely to lush and full.
The Tin Forest STORY. This Reading Rainbow episode features The Tin Forest by Helen Ward, a story about a lonely man who builds the forest of his dreams from other people's discards. LeVar Burton spends time with students at P.S. 234, located just blocks away from Ground Zero, and talks with them about returning to school after 9/11.
