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Rescued: Teacher and Parent Discussion Guide

  • Use this guide to help your students understand "Rescued"

(CNN Student News) -- Before-Viewing and Post-Viewing Questions and Learning Activities

Teachers and Parents: Watch with your students or record "Rescued" when it airs on CNN on Saturday, May 8 or Sunday, May 9 at 8 p.m. EDT. By recording the documentaries, you agree that you will use the programs for educational viewing purposes for a one-year period only. No other rights of any kind or nature whatsoever are granted, including, without limitation, any rights to sell, publish, distribute, post online or distribute in any other medium or forum, or use for any commercial or promotional purpose. For licensing information, please contact CNN ImageSource at 866-462-4350 or

Special Note: "Rescued" is a documentary that chronicles real life for Haiti's orphans, both before and after the earthquake. There are scenes that some students may find disturbing. We recommend that you preview this and any video before showing it to students.

Program Description: CNN anchor & special correspondent Soledad O'Brien reports on those left most vulnerable in the wake of Haiti's devastating earthquake: Haiti's remarkably inspiring children. Told through the eyes of 6-year-old Cendy Jeune and former child slave Marc Kenson Olibri, O'Brien reports on how Haiti's orphans struggle to overcome immense obstacles, including crushing poverty and child slavery. Along the way, O'Brien interviews people connected to Haiti's 380,000 orphans: the missionaries, aid workers and relatives, all of whom must overcome bureaucracies and a frail recovery from the powerful earthquake.

Recommended grades: 8-12, Post-secondary

Curriculum Standards

Social Studies

III. People, Places and Environments

V. Individuals, Groups and Institutions

The Curriculum Standards for the Social Studies are published by the National Council for Social Studies.

Before-Viewing Discussion Questions: Use these questions to initiate discussion with your students before they watch "Rescued."

1. What are some of the problems facing children around the world?

2. In what areas of the world might you think that life is especially tough for children? Why do you think that this is so? How might the challenges in their lives be different from the challenges you face each day?

3. How do the political and economic conditions in a country have an impact on a child's life? Describe some political and economic conditions that might be dangerous for children.

4. What impact do you think that poverty has on a child? What life opportunities can be lost to a child when resources are scarce?

5. How might a natural disaster affect a child, both physically and emotionally, when he or she is already poor or in an unstable situation?

6. What are some of the organizations that offer relief to children who are in dire circumstances? If you are familiar with any of these organizations, explain what they do and how they operate.

7. In your opinion, what are the characteristics of a person who comes to the aid of children? What do you think prompts that person to want to help?

8. What does it mean to make a commitment to a cause? Have you ever known a person who was committed to a cause? If so, describe the cause and what you think kept the person committed to it.

9. Have you ever volunteered to help someone less fortunate than you? If so, talk about what you learned from the experience: What did you gain? What sacrifices did you make?

Post-Viewing Questions, Media Literacy Questions and Learning Activities

Post-Viewing Discussion Questions: Use these questions to both assess what students learned from the video and promote critical thinking after they have watched "Rescued."

1. Who is Cendy Jeune? How old is she? Where does she live?

2. How would you describe Cendy? What events have impacted her life?

3. How did Cendy end up at the orphanage? Who are her legal guardians? What happens when Cendy's parents show up at the orphanage over a year later? How does Cendy react to them? How do they respond to her?

4. What do you think might be some reasons why Cendy's parents do not return to pick her up?

5. Who is Marc Kenson Olibri? What was his childhood like? How did he end up at the Lighthouse?

6. How has Marc Kenson's life changed since he came to the orphanage? What does he want to do with his life now that he is an adult?

7. Why does Marc Kenson say that he is not "angry" about his childhood? Do you think that you would feel the same way if you were in his situation? Explain.

8. According to the program, how does Marc Kenson's story give hope to the other orphans at the Lighthouse?

9. Why did Bill and Susette Manassero first come to Haiti? Why did they decide to start an orphanage there?

10. Explain how Bill uses the starfish story to describe what he and Susette are trying to do in Haiti.

11. Describe the scene and emotions that we see in the video during and after the earthquake.

12. How does the earthquake affect Cendy's personality? Why do you think that it has this effect on her? What is Marc Kenson's response to the disaster?

13. How does the orphanage accommodate victims of the earthquake?

14. Why is the decision made to close the doors of the orphanage to outsiders? Why is the decision a tough one for the Manasseros?

15. In spite of the closed doors, why do people keep showing up at the Lighthouse? What is the emotional state of the children and staff at the Lighthouse in the weeks following the earthquake? How do some of the children manage to hang on to hope?

16. Describe the situation at the Maison des Enfants (babies'orphanage), just a few miles away from the Lighthouse. Why do the orphanage workers load 100 babies on a bus and ride to the U.S. Embassy? What are they told when they arrive? What do they do in response? What would you have done at that point?

17. Why is the Haitian orphanage director in the video critical of missionaries who place Haitian children with families in the U.S.? Do you agree or disagree with him? Explain.

18. How does an attempted attack by armed thieves affect the Lighthouse staff and orphans? Why are the thieves trying to get into the orphanage? What do the local police recommend?

19. What actions do the Manasseros take to protect the orphans? Why are some of the girls afraid to sleep inside?

20. In spite of all the challenges and threats to their own safety, why do you think that the Manasseros decide to stay in Haiti? What do they decide to do for the orphans there? If you were in the Manasseros' position, do you think that you would have stayed or left? Explain.

21. What do you think the future holds for Cendy and Marc Kenson?

Media Literacy Questions: Use this set of questions to help students explore how a media message is delivered.

If you were producing a documentary on the plight of Haiti's orphans, how might you tell the story? Whose personal stories would you want to tell? Who else would you interview, and why? What visual and audio elements might you include, and why?

Learning Activities

Challenges to Childhood around the World

1. In the video, we learn that there are about 380,000 orphans in Haiti. We see the challenges they face to survive, both before and after the devastation of the earthquake made life even more dangerous. Ask students to consider the challenges to survival that children face around the world. As a class, brainstorm a list of these challenges, including poverty, human trafficking, lack of clean water and illiteracy. Write the list on the board. Divide the class into groups and have each group select one of these challenges. Direct each group to conduct research to learn more about its issue, where it is a problem, and what is being done to address it. Have each group write a script and create a video news report to explain this threat to children and how it is being confronted. Have groups present their videos to the class. (Note: If your students want to know what they can do to help address the challenges facing the world's children, you may want to check out CNN's Impact Your World.

Natural Disasters and Preparation

2. How does a natural disaster change the lives of those who experience it? Assist students in searching online resources to learn more about natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and blizzards, as well as their impact on communities. Ask students: In addition to the physical damage caused, how might each of these natural disasters affect a community's economy, government and neighborhoods? If your area is prone to any of these natural disasters, help students empower themselves by asking local leaders to address the class on what is being done to prepare for such a disaster and protect lives and property. Follow up with a discussion of what students and their families can do in advance to protect themselves and minimize damage to property, including schools and businesses.