The words of former slaves will be brought to life through readings by African-American actors and through photographs, music, film and period images, in a premiere screening of Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives, a documentary.

HBO, Time Warner Cable and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center will host the screening 6-7 p.m. today at Memorial Hall.

Spencer Drew, executive director and CEO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and Ira Berlin, a professor at the University of Maryland, will introduce the film.

The film will debut on HBO at 8 p.m. Feb. 10.

One local story in the documentary is that of Arnold Graggston, who joined the Underground Railroad and helped smuggle slaves into Ohio.

Graggston's story will be read by actor Courtney Vance.

Rachel Gross, a student at Sycamore High School, is among 33 Reform Jewish teen-agers across the country who will spend four months in Israel as part of the North American Federation of Temple Youth's Eisendrath International Exchange (NFTY-EIE).

They will spend their spring semesters at the NFTY-EIE high school in Israel, fulfilling requirements in English, math, science and social studies. They will also study Hebrew, Judaism, and the history and culture of Israel.

A $25,000 grant through the Ohio Valley Foundation, Fifth Third Bank trustees will help the FreeStore/FoodBank Cincinnati COOKS program.

The FreeStore/FoodBank uses surplus food to train people to work in the food service industry.

Meals produced each day feed hungry children in the FreeStore/FoodBank Kids Cafe program and people in homeless shelters.

Lakota West High School faculty and staff used their holiday party to raise $1,365 for Reach Out Lakota, the local food and clothing bank.

The event was organized by the Lakota West Social Club. The Parent Teacher Student Organization served a buffet. Faculty and local businesses donated items for a silent auction.

Students at Lakota West and East collected 1,405 pairs of shoes for the needy during the last week of January. West collected 857 pairs and East collected 548. The shoes were given to Reach Out Lakota.

The Drop-Inn Center Shelter House, 217 W. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine, will receive leftover lunchtime change from Pleasant Run Middle School.

The seventh-bell language arts class of Tiffany Hosley has been collecting the change. Hosley, who resides in the Pleasant Run Farms area, said because of the freezing temperatures, her class wanted to make the community better by reaching out and lending a helping hand.

Allen Howard's "Some Good News" column runs Sunday-Friday. If you have suggestions about outstanding achievements, or people who are uplifting to the Tristate, let him know at 768-8362, at ahoward@enquirer.com or by fax at 768-8340.