Front Royal Students Invited to Classic Film Night: 3:10 to Yuma Screening and Discussion Offers Timeless Lessons

All high school students in the Front Royal community are invited to take part in a powerful and thought-provoking film experience on Thursday, October 16, with a special showing and discussion of the 1957 Western classic 3:10 to Yuma.

This is the second event in the fall series of the Classic Film Study Project, an educational program developed by Dr. Onalee McGraw of the Educational Guidance Institute. The event will be held in Meeting Room A, and students are encouraged to RSVP by email to classicmoviestudy@gmail.com to reserve a seat. Doors will open prior to the screening.

This special event will be held in Meeting Room A. Doors open at 4:30 p.m., the film begins at 5:00 p.m., and a guided discussion will follow at 7:00 p.m., concluding by 7:30 p.m. Students are encouraged to RSVP by emailing classicmoviestudy@gmail.com.

Directed by Delmer Daves, 3:10 to Yuma stars Glenn Ford as Ben Wade, a smooth-talking outlaw, and Van Heflin as Dan Evans, a down-on-his-luck rancher who accepts the dangerous job of escorting Wade to a prison-bound train. What unfolds is a tense, character-driven drama that explores themes of courage, character, justice, and choice, set against the backdrop of the American West.

“This classic 1957 3:10 to Yuma teaches timeless lessons about courage and choosing to be a part of the whole as participants in a community in crisis,” said Dr. McGraw. “We were so encouraged by the lively discussion we had with high schoolers who came for our 12 Angry Men event on October 6. We’re excited to keep that momentum going.”

What Students Will Learn

The film offers students an opportunity to consider how individuals face hard choices for the common good during times of personal and societal crisis. After the screening, a guided discussion will explore timeless Civic Virtues that citizens must work to uphold in a free society, including:

• Magnanimity: rising above transactional thinking
• Understanding vs. Labeling: seeing people, not silos
• Caring for the Common Good: choosing responsibility over entitlement

Students will be invited to share their thoughts, ask questions, or simply reflect as part of a respectful, enriching dialogue.

About the Classic Film Study Project

Directed by Dr. Onalee McGraw in collaboration with the Educational Guidance Institute, the Classic Film Study Project helps young people explore character, citizenship, and leadership through the lens of classic films. These stories offer a powerful and creative way to connect timeless values to the challenges of modern life.

How to Attend

• Who: All high school students in the Front Royal community
• What: 3:10 to Yuma screening and discussion
• When: Thursday, October 16
• Where: Meeting Room A at 5:00 p.m.
• Cost: Free of charge
• RSVP: Email classicmoviestudy@gmail.com to reserve your seat

For high school students ready to think deeply, ask questions, and step into bigger conversations about truth, justice, and personal responsibility, this is a night not to miss.