On Thursday, October 15, students from Butler Tech’s D. Russel Lee Career Technology School will bring their creativity and classroom learning to the Sorg Opera House in downtown Middletown for Night of the Living Sorg, a student-driven community event centered around a screening of George A. Romero’s 1968 horror classic, Night of the Living Dead.
The event begins at 7 p.m., with admission just $5 at the door. All proceeds will benefit the ongoing revitalization of the historic Sorg Opera House.
But behind the zombies, costumes and classic horror is something much bigger: an innovative approach to education that brings together academic instruction, career-technical skills and authentic community engagement.
For D. Russel Lee English instructor Chris Pearce, Night of the Living Dead is much more than a horror movie. It’s a tool for teaching students about storytelling, history, culture and the power of communication.
Pearce, who joined Butler Tech this school year, has spent the past three years developing the project as part of his English curriculum. Students read the original screenplay, study the film’s visual storytelling techniques and examine the social, political and historical context of 1968.
They explore character development, analyze how images communicate meaning and consider why a nearly 60-year-old film continues to influence popular culture.
But the learning doesn’t end with a traditional assignment. Instead, students take ownership of transforming what they’ve studied into an experience for a real audience.
Working in teams, they have developed pre-show presentations featuring film trivia and historical context, explored themed concessions, created promotional concepts and reached out to downtown businesses and media outlets to build community interest.
“For me, one of the biggest goals has been to make this more than a traditional English assignment,” Pearce explained. “Students are writing and researching for real audiences, communicating with people outside the school, creating material that may actually be used at a public event, and seeing their classroom work become something tangible in the community.”
Student voice has also helped shape the experience. Originally envisioned as a project for juniors, Night of the Living Sorg expanded to include seniors after Firefighter student Damari Johnson advocated for their involvement. Pearce credits that moment with reinforcing the importance of allowing students to influence the direction of their learning.
What began in Pearce’s English classroom has grown into a collaboration involving students and programs across D. Russel Lee.
Digital Media and Graphic Design students have been contributing creative work for the event, including original short films scheduled to premiere during the evening. Graphic Design senior Josslyn Gerhardt independently illustrated the official event poster, bringing her artistic skills to a project with a real community audience.
Cosmetology students are contributing their talents through zombie makeup, while students also helped develop a special Night of the Living Dead-themed menu for the school’s coffee shop.
Among them was Cosmetology senior Autumn Lewis, whose group researched ideas and drew inspiration from Pinterest while working through the challenge of connecting menu items to the film.
“I’m excited about the Night of the Living Sorg because it’s bringing our community together as a whole,” Lewis said. “It’s something I think the senior class loved because we got to share our ideas with one another and they came to life.”
Each contribution provides students with an opportunity to apply skills from their respective programs to a shared project with an authentic purpose and audience.
The project has also introduced students to professional artists through a collaboration with comic book creators Brian McCray and Kyle Starks.
Students studied characters from the film and developed written analyses, descriptions and supporting quotations to communicate their interpretations to the artists. That work helped inform original character artwork, connecting literary analysis with professional creative work.
It’s an example of how skills developed in an English classroom can extend far beyond the traditional boundaries of a single subject.
The collaboration also carries an important community purpose.
The Sorg Opera House has long been part of Middletown’s cultural history, and Night of the Living Sorg provides students with an opportunity to contribute to the landmark’s continued revitalization.
Through planning, communication, creative problem-solving and community outreach, students are gaining practical experience while supporting a local institution.
For Pearce, that connection between learning and meaningful work is what makes the experience special.
Students aren’t simply completing an assignment for a grade. They’re creating something people will see, experience and enjoy, while learning to collaborate, communicate and take pride in their contributions.
And on Thursday evening, when the lights dim at the Sorg Opera House, their work will take center stage.
Night of the Living Sorg
Thursday, October 15, 2026 | 7 p.m.
Sorg Opera House | Middletown, Ohio
Admission: $5 at the door
All proceeds benefit the ongoing revitalization of the Sorg Opera House.
Come experience a classic horror film, celebrate student creativity and support a historic Middletown landmark.
