We’re excited about a documentary film that will be shown here this weekend. And it’s all thanks to a high school senior who is hoping to make a difference for women.

The award-winning documentary “Miss Representation” will be screened at the Odd Fellows Hall on March 18, 2 p.m. It exposes how mainstream media contribute to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America, and the consequences to our youth, culture and politics.

The film will be hosted by Anita Castle, director of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services, and Julie Hagn, a senior at Spring Street International School in Friday Harbor.

It takes the interest of young people – like Hagn – to bring about significant change in the world. We commend her for organizing this film showing.

The event coincides with the national Women’s History Month. This year’s theme is “Women’s Education – Women’s Empowerment.”

The website www.womenshistorymonth.gov reads, “Although women now outnumber men in American colleges nationwide, the reversal of the gender gap is a very recent phenomenon. The fight to learn was a valiant struggle waged by many tenacious women – across years and across cultures – in our country.”

We hope teachers and parents talk to their kids about the long and winding road of women’s rights. There are numerous sources on the Women’s History website, including a slide show of females at work throughout history, interactive games and a look at the role that women have played during the most recent wars.

There are also words of wisdom from famous women, like this one from author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston: “Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it doesn’t make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me.”