Rollins student makes documentary in effort to keep Fern Creek Elementary from closing

ORLANDO, Fla. — Parents are fighting to keep a school from closing that supplies nearly 80 homeless Orange County students with coats and meals.

Channel 9 first reported Fern Creek Elementary School could close because of the pending construction of two kindergarten through eighth grade schools.

WFTV's Karla Ray found out why a group of students from Rollins College is now joining the fight to keep the school open.

Fern Creek has kept low-income children warm and fed during tough times. About 150 of the 360 students are bussed in from Parramore, and about 80 are homeless, officials said.

A documentary pushing to keep the school open was recently made by Rollins sophomore Danielle Johnson, who is a mentor at Fern Creek.

Johnson and other students are fighting alongside Fern Creek parents to keep the school open.

But with one new school planned for Audubon Park and another in Parramore, it's looking more like an uphill battle.

While Johnson was making the documentary, she said a recurring theme continued to pop up while interviewing students.  She said every student, without prompting, called the school a family.

"They love the school," said parent Alisha Kearns. "They want to keep our school, and we're all very perplexed and concerned about the lack of communication between us the citizens and the Orange County School Board."

Johnson's documentary will debut Thursday evening at Dave's Down Under on the Rollins campus.

WFTV