An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong (2009) - full transcript

Here we are.

-Tyler, wake up, we're here.
-Finally.

-Watch your step. lt's icy out.
-l'm okay.

Careful.

-lt's really slippery.
-l know.

Got it?

-Hey, Tyler.
-Yeah?

Hey.

-ls Mom here yet?
-No.

She had to stop at the hospital first.

-Wow, it's cold.
-She'll be here in about an hour.



Come on, let's go, let's go. Come on.

-Oh, come in.
-Hi, Nana.

Welcome to your new home.
Oh, l'm so glad to see you.

Let me see you, let me see you.

-You must be exhausted.
-Hi, Louise. Oh, yeah.

Well, Tyler slept the whole way.

-And snored.
-l did not.

There's coffee and cocoa and cookies
in the kitchen.

Awesome.

-Got anything stronger?
-Come on, l'll give you a shoulder rub.

Good morning.

-Hi, Mom.
-Did you sleep well?

Listen, the moving van is here
and l have to run to the hospital.

But l can't wait to hear
all about your new school.



Just wanted to tell you
to have a great day, okay?

-Bye.
-Wait.

Mom, wait a second.

How about you measure me?
Come on. Please?

-Okay. Where's the pen?
-lt's in there.

Okay. Standing tall?

-There you go. Look.
-Yes! Finally l'm taller than you were.

And smarter, and more clever and sweeter.

Here you go. Bye.

Mom.

-You have a great day too.
-Thanks.

-You wanna know a secret?
-Yeah.

l'm a little nervous.

-Bye.
-Bye.

Did you know that Minnesota
is the Gopher State?

Did you know that all gophers
go away in the winter?

Oh, good morning, Nana.

-Hi, Nana.
-Good morning, you two.

Your father is setting up his studio,
and there's your lunch money.

Whoa, sunglasses, please.

l'm going to my Jazzercise class later.

-And why aren't you eating?
-l guess l'm not very hungry.

-She's nervous about starting her new school.
-Tyler. No, l'm not.

Chrissa, think of it.

This is a fabulous opportunity.
You get to make new friends.

And by the way, don't wait for them
to come up and say hi.

She means, don't do your shy thing.

Chrissa, l want you to march up to the first
person you see and say, ''Hello there.''

''Hello'' is the first word in a friendship.

Okay, Nana.

And if you need to break the ice,
think of a good joke.

You wanna think of one now?

-No, that's okay, Nana.
-Okay.

Hey, you two,
l have a big surprise for both of you.

-What is it?
-Come on, bring your things.

-Come on, hurry up.
-Okay, l'm coming, l'm coming.

-Slowpoke.
-Be quiet.

Oh, my gosh. Cosmos had her baby.

-Why didn't you tell us?
-Because l love surprises...

...and l wanted to wait till you were here.

This little one belongs to you two.

-Yes!
-Oh, awesome!

-So cute. ls it a boy or girl?
-A little girl.

-What should we name her?
-How about Bubba?

-Bubba? Why would we name a girl Bubba?
-Why not?

-Do you wanna feed her?
-Yeah, l do.

Here you go, Tyler.

-l just don't want her to spit at me.
-Oh, Chrissa, llamas don't spit at people.

Especially not Cosmos and Checkers.

Llamas only spit at each other
and only when provoked.

-Okay.
-Come here, honey.

There you go.

See?

-See? She just-- Oh, boy, she loves you now.
-Cosmos.

There you go.

-Gross.
-Sweet.

Cosmos. And after l said what a lady you are.

Nana.

Excuse me.

-Come on, Tyler. Come on.
-l'm coming.

-l'll show you our homeroom.
-So how's the teacher?

Hello.

-Excuse me.
-Excuse me.

Sorry.

-Who is she?
-Who cares?

-Who starts school on a Friday?
-Yeah.

She can have lots of fun.

Adverbs end in the letters what?

-l know, l know, l know.
-Mr. Beck?

Class, l have a new friend for you to meet.

-Chrissa Maxwell.
-Hi.

-She's gonna be joining your class.
-Chrissa. We've been expecting you.

Now, l want you all to make Chrissa
feel at home.

Mr. Beck? Maybe you could assign
a lunchroom buddy.

Unless you wanna have lunch
with the principal.

l didn't think so.

Sonali, what about you?

Oh, thank you, Sonali.

l think you can take it from here, Mr. Beck.
Goodbye.

-Bye, Mrs. Ziminsky.
-Bye-bye.

Bye.

Guys, Chrissa decided to start school today,
on a Friday...

...because we're celebrating
Valentine's Day today.

And what better way to get to know
our new friend...

...than on the day that celebrates what?

-Friendship.
-Yes.

-So did you get the list of students?
-Yeah, it's in here.

Good, because we are gonna be
passing out valentines all day.

-That's it.
-Yes, sir.

This is for you,
a little mailbox from the class.

-Thanks.
-So why don't you tell us about yourself?

Well, l just moved here from lowa and l have
a brother named Tyler who's in fifth grade.

My mom just got a new job as a doctor
at Saint Luke's...

...and my dad owns a pottery studio.

A Pilates studio?

-What?
-You know, exercise.

-Yoga?
-Oh, yeah, my mom goes there all the time.

Tara, slow down.
Give her a chance to answer.

No, it's a pottery studio. He's a ceramic artist.

And l understand you moved in
with your grandmother on Lake Chandler?

Yeah.

My grandpa died a few months back...

...and it's just been hard for her
to take care of the house.

-lt just made sense. Yeah.
-Yeah.

Now, why don't you take a seat here
with Cluster 4?

This is Jayden, Tara and Sonali.

-Oh, no, she's sitting with us.
-So l finished my math....

Hello.

Hey, l guess l didn't get the ponytail memo.

-Oh, my gosh, that was a lame joke.
-lt was lame.

Okay, guys, listen up.
Let's continue listing adverbs.

-Good job. Next?
-Hi.

Yes, come on, honey. Punch in your code.

Next.

-Chrissa.
-That's your sister, right?

Oh, look, Sonali. lt's your lunch buddy.

ls she going to sit here?

Don't look at her.

Hi.

You're in my class, aren't you?

Yeah.

l'm finished.

l have to go.

-Done. We're best friends forever, right?
-Best friends.

-BFF.
-BFF.

l especially like your use of color.

Thank you very much, Karen,
that was lovely. Thank you.

Let's see. Which artiste
would like to present next?

How about Jayden?

l saw you were very busy back there, Jayden.
What did you make for us?

Well, something
that makes my life special is...

...my cell phone.

-Bling-y.
-Cool.

And how does your cell phone
make your life special?

Well, it's pink with sparkles.

And it has a thousand free minutes
l can use whichever way l want.

Thank you, Jayden.

Thank you very much.

How about our new student, Chrissa Maxwell?

Chrissa?

What makes my life special is my friends.

This is me and this is my best friend, Amanda.

-And what are you doing there?
-We're all swimming with our friends.

And our friends do make our lives special,
don't they?

Very nice. Lovely, lovely composition.
Lovely use of color.

Thank you, Chrissa, that was lovely.
Thank you.

Thank you.

Who's next?

Happy Valentine's Day.

Guys, listen.

Roses are red
Violets are blue

You're the loser girl
And no one likes you

''Ha, ha. Just kidding.
Happy Valentine's Day, from you-know-who.''

You go send it. You know who.

Watch this.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Wait till she opens it.

Happy when she gets it,
sad when she reads it.

Okay, guys. lt's time to open the mailboxes.

-Finally.
-l'll even open mine.

-l have so many.
-l know, it's overflowing.

-Flowing.
-Flowing.

Yeah.

You didn't get any valentines. How sad.

-Homemade, huh?
-Yeah.

-l like making them myself.
-Really? l like buying them way better.

-Hey, maybe yours all fell on the floor.
-Yeah.

-She believed it.
-l can't believe she fell for it.

Well, we can't have anyone in our club
who didn't get any valentines, can we?

No.

We can't.

We can't have anyone who didn't get
any valentines in our club...

...now, can we, girls?

-No, we can't.
-No, sorry.

Who said l wanna be in your club anyway?

Guys, remember. Swim club at
the community center starts in two weeks.

-Permission slips are due tomorrow.
-Think you're gonna try out?

Try out? l'm the star swimmer.

Oh, you're-- Right, you're just kidding.

Jayden! Come on!

Chrissa. Everything okay?

Yeah.

Have a nice weekend, Mr. Beck.

Thank you.

Tyler. Tyler.

So how'd you do?

-No complaints.
-Hi, Tyler.

-Hi.
-l heard you're new.

-l can't believe he fell for it.
-l know.

-Boys are dumb.
-Don't trust them, Tyler.

-What?
-Believe me, okay?

-They can't be trusted.
-Don't be such a headcase.

Gwen. l love the hat.

-Gwen, up here.
-l can't believe you have that outfit.

-So?
-Oh, are you near her?

-Like the loser.
-Oh, she's leaving.

-Oh, poor Gwen.
-She's a loser.

Loser.

-Close your eyes, everyone.
-Okay.

-No peeking, no cheating.
-They're closed.

-l know you.
-Now, don't cheat.

-Okay.
-Okay, you can open them.

l know it's your first Valentine's Day
without Grandpa, so....

-We love you, Mom.
-Oh, that is so sweet.

l will treasure this always. Oh, thank you.

l cut out the cupid.

Oh, it is the most beautiful cupid
l have ever seen.

And this is for my ladies.

-This is for you, Mom.
-Oh, chocolates, my undoing.

-Thank you.
-Here you go, sweetie.

Happy Valentine's Day.

-This is for you, bug.
-Thank you.

And they call Minnesota...?

-The Gopher State. ''l gopher you.''
-There you go.

They also call it the lutefisk capital
of the world.

-What's lutefisk?
-Air-dried whitefish.

We can have some tomorrow if you like.

-No, thank you.
-Okay, guys, l'm dying to know.

-How was the first day of school?
-Oh, Mom.

Okay, let's start with, how did math go?

Okay,
l already know the math that we're doing.

-That's good.
-He does not get that from me.

And l met some really cool kids,
like this one guy named Joel.

-And even Chrissa's friend said hi to me.
-No.

No, they're not my friends.
They're just some kids in my class.

You know, more and more parents
are homeschooling their children.

And apparently the student's chance
of getting into a top college...

...is increased by 1 2 percent
when the student is homeschooled.

-Really?
-Did something happen today, honey?

No, l just miss Amanda and my friends.

Oh, yeah. l wanna join the swim club.
They even let you dive.

That is so cool.

Actually, l was thinking of joining too.

-That'd be great.
-Why do you have to be such a copycat?

l'm sure the pool is big enough
for the both of you.

-l'll get it.
-Chrissa...

...l'll bet you can't join the school swim club
if you're homeschooled.

l bet you can.

-Twenty bucks?
-Chrissa, it's one of your friends.

Hey, go on. Go on.

-lt's one of your friends.
-Okay.

lnvite her in for dessert.

Hi.

Hi. These are yours.

My valentines?

l'm supposed to say l'm sorry.

Why did you take them?

Tara told me to.
She thought it would be funny.

So you do whatever she asks you?

She said to take them home
and not say a word.

But my mom found them.

She made you return them.
Did she make you say you're sorry too?

And if it makes you feel any better,
l'm grounded for a week.

Well, l have to go.

Bye.

-Did you tell her you're sorry?
-Yes, Mom, l did.

Get in the car.

Oh, thanks, Louise.

-Where do you want it?
-Put it right there, right on the table.

-ls this for your show in Minneapolis?
-Yeah. You like it?

You know, just the other day,
l was bragging about how talented you are.

That's nice.

And also how you love helping others.

Okay, Louise. Spill it.

Well, l'm on the board
of our local homeless shelter...

...and we're having our annual fundraiser.

Every year, people come and buy
a very expensive soup-bowl dinner...

...and they get to take the bowl home
with them. lt's a very festive affair.

Sounds fun.

And you know what l think
would be perfectly wonderful?

What?

Well, l was thinking,
why not have one-of-a-kind soup bowls...

...created by a real artist
as a special thank-you.

Okay...?

So l was mentioning this and someone said:

''Why not have your son-in-law,
who's a famous ceramicist, make them?''

Of course l said l couldn't possibly impose.

Okay, Louise, l'll do it.

We'll need 1 20 or so.

Wait. Louise? Louise?

-When?
-Six weeks.

Oh, gee. l get a whole six weeks.

Thank you.

Hi, Gwen.

Oh, don't go.

l brought you some of my nana's cookies.

They're really good.

-Why, thank you, Chrissa.
-Thanks, Chrissa.

Chocolate.

-Thank you.
-Good one, Tara.

Nana packed two bags.

They're good.

There you go, babies.

-Oh, hi, Nana.
-Hi, honey.

-l joined the swim team.
-Excellent.

Hey. How's the baby?

-Oh, she's hungry.
-Hey.

-Are you okay, Nana?
-Oh, yes.

l was just thinking about your grandpa.

How much he would have loved
having you all here.

-Would you get me that pail?
-Yeah.

You know, it was his idea
to get these mini llamas.

-Grandpa's?
-Yeah.

-And you know why we got two?
-So that they can have babies?

No. Because llamas are very social animals.
They don't do well by themselves.

They always need to have a best friend
near them.

Was Grandpa your best friend?

Well, yes, he was.

-l miss my best friends too.
-Oh, l know you do, sweetie.

But you wanna know the best cure for that?

Find someone else
who needs a good friend too.

Hey, ladies. You're getting--
You're getting alfalfa in your hair.

You're ruining your hairdo.

Okay, whoever has permission slips
for swim club, last chance.

-Pass them up.
-Here!

Come on, Chrissa.

Permission slips?

Thank you.

-Here you go, Mr. Beck.
-Thanks.

Now l need somebody
to take these to the office.

Chrissa, why don't you give it a shot?

-Okay.
-Thank you, Tara.

Sorry.

-Remember where the office is?
-Yeah.

Okay, page 21 9, guys.

Let's do a little review on inequalities
and the rules thereof.

Mr. Beck, may l please go to the restroom?

Hey, what's that?

Wasn't this supposed to go
straight to the office?

What to do, what to do?

-Thank you, Tara.
-You're welcome.

Tara. Tara, why did you take
that envelope?

Why did you leave it laying
on the bathroom floor?

l took care of it.
That was very irresponsible of you.

Don't worry, l didn't tell on you.
l'm not a tattletale.

Okay, Alexandra...

...Rachel and Tara.

Okay, guys, we got a team.
Let's stretch it out, warm it up.

Chrissa, hang on, l wanna talk to you.

-Didn't you give me a permission slip?
-Yeah, you saw me.

-Well, it's not here.
-But it has to be.

Well, l'm sorry. No permission slip,
you can't swim.

You're gonna have to sit this one out.
l'm sorry.

Okay, girls, breaststroke.
l need 50 meters.

Five-zero meters.

Swimmers, take your marks. Let's go.

Boys, keep stretching.
l don't want any injuries this year.

Guys, listen for the whistle.
No false starts today.

-What happened?
-lt's important to keep stretching.

-lt's okay. Just go.
-Okay, guys, give me good strong kicks.

Fundamentals are very important.

Okay, swimmers, take your mark.

Did you or did you not steal
my client's permission slip?

l....

Okay, l did it, l did it, l did it.

Guilty, guilty, guilty.

The court sentences you
to 1 01 years of detention.

No, please, no, no.

No, no!

No!

No!

Strong kicks, guys. Pull!

Pull it through. Nice. Very nice.

Great job, Tara.

-Thanks.
-You're looking stronger...

...than you were last year. Keep it up.

Okay, boys, shake it out.
Let's hit the marks.

-Amanda, they act like they rule the school.
-Oh, real queen bees, huh?

Mean bees, is more like it.
And the head mean bee is so--

Oh, so the queens have a boss?

Yeah. She's the queen
of the mean queen bees.

Anyway, she's the one
who's been doing all the mean things.

You can't tell on her, because
everyone will think you're a tattletale,

So just try to ignore her,

l know. You're right.

-l really miss you, Amanda.
-I miss you too,

But it'll be summer before you know it,
And I'm coming there,

I can't wait to see you
and your new house,

l can't wait, either.
And don't forget, it's Llama Central.

-Chrissa, Tyler, it's dinner.
-Oh, l gotta go, okay?

-Okay. Bye.
-Bye,

So how was school today?

Mom, when are you gonna realize that
that's the question every kid hates?

l still wanna know.

-lt was okay.
-lt was fine.

Just okay?

Oh, hey, today was the first day
of swim practice, right?

-Yeah. You know they have a high dive?
-That is cool.

-So how'd it go?
-Good.

By the way, you have to sign
another permission slip.

Have you guys thought of a name
for the baby llama yet?

Well, so far we have...

-...Bubba, Claude, Cynthia and Minnie.
-Cynthia. Minnie.

Minnie, the mini llama?

That was my idea.

You know what your grandpa
was gonna call it?

-What?
-Starburst.

-That's perfect.
-Oh, that's perfect, yeah.

Hey, good morning.

-Hey.
-Here's your coffee.

Oh, thank you. Hold it just a minute.

What are you making?

-Well, l'm helping Nana.
-Yeah?

She's putting together a fundraiser
for the homeless shelter.

You can get a lot of money
for all these bowls.

-Well, do you think l can help?
-Positively.

Take the air out of that old clay.

-Okay. Ready?
-Yeah. Pound it good.

You know what happens
if you get a bubble?

Yes. Otherwise, it explodes.

Oh, you know what?
l'll tell you what.

You and Tyler can help me paint the glazes.
That's when l'm really gonna need the help.

-Yeah?
-Yeah.

Hey, maybe l could ask some of the kids
in my art class to come and help.

-Oh, that would be perfect, wouldn't it?
-Yeah.

Yeah, because then you'd get to know
some of the other kids better.

-Dad.
-Yeah. All help accepted.

-Pass me that brush and l'll shape it a little.
-Yeah. There you go.

You know, Chrissa, you're a lot like me.

l am?

Well, you know how Tyler just jumps in?

l mean, he's already made
a whole lot of friends.

Well, you and l...

...we like to test the waters first.

You know, see what
the temperature is like.

-l guess so.
-Yeah. lt's a good strategy.

But once you've tested the waters...

...you gotta be ready.
You gotta just dive right in.

Okay.

Pound that clay.

Chrissa, you're up.

Excuse me? Excuse me, you guys.

My dad's working on bowls for a fundraiser
at the Sunrise House.

He needs help painting and glazing.

lf anyone wants to come by
my dad's studio on Saturday and help...

-...it would be appreciated.
-Oh, my God.

-Class?
-Sounds super...

...boring.

l thought l saw some hands over here.
Who's first?

Just sign up and pass it along.

-Sonali.
-l thought l might find the time.

Gwen, can you come?

Maybe you can stay overnight too.

l don't think so.

But thanks.

Loser 1 's making friends with Loser 2.
How sweet.

What?

Did you see her face?

Totally pathetic.

Thanks.

Gwen, you're really good.

l used to have a violin.

Well, what happened to it?

Gwen?

My mom's waiting for me outside.

l have to go.

Swimmers, on my whistle,
two laps, freestyle.

Ready.

Pull. Pull strong.

-Go, Chrissa!
-Nice.

-Go, Tara.
-Nice job, Chrissa.

Let's go. Kicks.

Go, Tara, go!

Coming up to the turn.

Good.

-Come on, go, go.
-Keep kicking, Chrissa!

-Look at her go.
-Almost there, Tara.

-Come on, Chrissa. All right!
-Okay, Tara, big flip.

-Come on, Chrissa!
-Go, Tara!

-You can do it, Tara!
-Go, go, go!

Chrissa.

Where did you learn
how to swim like that?

-At the lake back at the house.
-We're gonna work on those turns.

You're gonna be a force
to be reckoned with. Good job.

-Tara, nice.
-lt was great, Chrissa.

-Thanks.
-Keep stretching, guys. Good work.

You know, l let you win.
l don't really try until the competition.

You know, Chrissa,
l'm gonna put you on the relay team...

...with Tara, Alexandra and Rachel, okay?
You're gonna swim second.

-Second?
-Good job.

That's where they put
the weakest swimmer.

Bend down and touch your toes.

Hey, you guys see my clothes?

-No.
-No, sorry.

Come on, Sally, let's go.

Gee, Chrissa, something really stinks.

Hey, Rachel, wait up.

''ldentify the....''

''Confect a diagram to identify
the things that are alike...

...and the things that are different.''

Hi, darling.

How was school today?

lt was okay.

lf there were something wrong, sweetie,
you'd tell me, wouldn't you?

lt's just so hard, Mom.

And l can't seem to make any friends,
and nobody likes me.

Nobody?

l even found a person
who looked like they needed a friend.

Even she doesn't want me as a friend.

Well, Chrissa, maybe there's something
going on with her that you don't know.

You mean, maybe it isn't me?

Have you done anything to her?

-No.
-Then it isn't you.

l didn't think of it like that.

Look, if you really like this girl,
then you shouldn't give up.

-Thanks, Mom.
-l love you.

-You too.
-What are you working on?

-Well, on my diag--
-Did you get an A?

-Your--?
-We did, like, a class thing...

...that he had us write,
like, a little report while we're in class.

-Paul?
-Yeah?

-There's something going on with Chrissa.
-Really? What?

That's just it, l don't know.

l figure out people's life problems
all the time...

...and l can't figure out what's bothering
my 1 0-year-old daughter.

Listen, she just needs time to adjust,
that's all.

Tyler already has new friends.

Yeah, well. Come on, Meg,
Chrissa's not Tyler.

Has she said anything to you?

Yeah. Yeah, we talk.

You know, just....

Listen.

Honey, she's just figuring it out,
that's all.

Yeah, but she's not happy.

Was coming here a mistake?
l took this job because l thought...

...it would give me more family time
and would help out my mom.

lt will.

You know what? You're the new kid too.

And your mom needs us.

l tell you what. lf anything were bothering
her, she'd come, she'd talk to us.

So l trust her on that.

Come here.

Okay.

Very nice, you guys. Very nice.

Anybody want some lemonade here?

-Okay.
-Just watch me. Watch me now.

-Just take-- Kids?
-How about you?

Dude, that's the worst-looking hamburger
l've ever seen.

That's because it's a spaceship.

-Yeah, l see that.
-Anybody want some lemonade here?

Nice hamburger.

l can tell you've done this before.
That's really pretty.

Thanks. Yeah, l've been doing it
since l was 3.

Or possibly before that.

l'm surprised you came
without Tara or Jayden.

l know. lt seems like
we're always together.

We've been friends since preschool.

Or possibly before that.

l had friends like that back at home.

You know, Tara's mad
you're such a good swimmer.

-Here, put that down.
-What?

-l wanna show you something.
-Okay.

-Take this off.
-Okay, where are we going?

-Come on, just follow me.
-Okay.

Just one second. Come on.

Okay, come on in.
Gently, gently. She's very shy.

-lt is so cute.
-Thanks.

My grandpa named her Starburst.

-What's this?
-Llama beans.

Llama poop.

Okay.

You know, llama beans
are a perfect fertilizer.

-ls she eating my shirt?
-No, she's kissing you.

That's how llama's kiss. Here.

l heard you ask Gwen to stay overnight.

Yeah.

-Well, where is she?
-l don't know.

l know you're not supposed
to invite yourself over...

...but maybe l could stay
overnight sometime?

Well, what would Tara and Jayden say?

l don't have to tell them.

Yeah.

Well, this one's the mama.
Her name's Cosmos, right there.

And this is Checkers.

Come on. Come on, guys.

Pull, pull. Come on.

-Yes, pull it up.
-Wins the 50-meter freestyle,,,

-,,,for the Mustangs,
-Come on.

-Next race: girls 50-meter freestyle,
-Nice work, guys.

Swimmers, take you mark.

-Hey, Chrissa?
-Yeah.

l expect to win this.

-Come on, go!
-Go, Tara.

-Come on, Chrissa.
-Go, go.

Go, Tara! Come on, Tara!

-Come on, sweetie.
-Pull! Pull!

Pull!

Tara James wins the 50-meter freestyle
for the Tigers,

-Yeah, Tara!
-Good choice.

-Am l in trouble?
-No, no, no.

lt's just....

ls there something going on
with your sister?

Like what?

She didn't seem that happy
after the meet today.

-Well, that's because she could have won.
-Oh, Tyler, she did very well.

-She could have done better.
-But she hasn't been swimming that long.

Trust me, Mom. She's really, really fast
when she wants to be.

Really?

-So homework?
-Oh, yeah.

Yeah. We are pro-homework.

Good.

-Yeah, just two more there.
-Right here?

-Okay, you gotta line them up, Tyler.
-Sure, Dad.

-Now, throw that paper over there, huh?
-Everybody? Everybody?

May l have your attention, please?

l just wanna thank you all
for being here today.

l love this event.
lt just gets more exciting every year.

Who knew when we started
that we would impact so many lives?

And, this year, we have
the most amazing soup bowls...

...thanks to my wonderful son-in-law
and my beautiful granddaughter...

-...and her fourth-grade class.
-Yeah, Chrissa.

l'd like to say something too.

lt means so much to me
to be helping today...

...because l'm one of the people
on the other side of the equation.

Eighteen months ago,
l lost my husband and then my house.

And then l simply had nowhere to go.

The most terrifying part
is l had a daughter to raise.

Sunrise House was a godsend.

Here, my daughter could go to school
and l could find a job.

My daughter and l are a living example
of the hard work you do here.

And l just want you to know
that it's real, that it means something.

Chrissa, you cannot tell anyone.

l won't. l promise.

ls this why you didn't wanna be friends?

lt's embarrassing.

When you ask me to come over...

...l really can't ask you back.

l want you to come over anyway.

Gwen? We need more butterflies.

Thank you.

Okay, l'll write tonight's
homework assignment on the board.

Guys, don't forget to check your spelling.

Sonali, you can't tell anybody.

Tell anybody about what?

That Chrissa heard we have a pop quiz
in science tomorrow.

-We already knew that.
-What? Oh, yeah, we already knew that.

Okay, class, it is time to start thinking
about our big class project.

Now, in the past, we've taken on things
like pollution, school safety.

You guys get to pick.
So think it over, give it some thought...

...and we'll talk about it
over the next couple days.

-California?
-Sacramento.

Good.

-New York?
-Albany.

-Alaska?
-Alaska? Alaska?

-Juneau.
-Yes.

Girls, dinner's in 1 0 minutes.

-Okay, Mom.
-Okay, Mrs. Maxwell.

-What about Ohio?
-Ohio?

Hello?

-Oh, hi.
-I need you to come over tonight,

-Now?
-Yes,

-Does it have to be now?
-Yes, We have to study for our pop quiz,

-Get on with it, would you?
-Yeah, that will be okay.

Bye.

That was my mom.

She has to pick me up now.

-l thought you were gonna stay for dinner.
-Now l can't.

Why?

We have relatives coming over
all of a sudden.

l have to go.

Right now.

Bye.

Bye.

-Hello,
-Hi.

-Sonali?
-Mom, can you pick me up now?

-Now? Why?
-l forgot l have to go Tara's house.

You're supposed to stay there for dinner.

-But she needs help with homework.
-Sonali, that is not your problem.

Just come, okay?

-Oh, my gosh. Guess what.
-What?

My mom, she got the job she wanted,
and we're moving into an apartment.

-And so it's out of the shelter?
-Yeah.

Oh, my gosh. This is fantastic.

Goodbye, Sunrise House.
Goodbye, dorm.

Hello, my own room.

We should have a party.
You know, like a, ''l'm moving.''

Oh, my God, yeah.
No more Sunrise House.

-Yeah.
-lsn't that the homeless shelter?

-l'm going into an apartment.
-Yeah.

-l had no idea.
-Yeah.

Come on.

Like that.

-l'm not sure about this.
-Come on, Chrissa. Cut.

-l've never cut anyone's hair before.
-Chrissa, l know you can do it.

l really want bangs.

Okay.

You're doing that all wrong, Chrissa.
l could cut your hair for you, Gwen.

l don't think so.

-Oh, come on, Gwen.
-Come on.

Tara's mom is a hairdresser.

She's seen a million people
get their hair cut.

-Yeah.
-She is really good.

l think you'd look really pretty.

Your bangs should come right about
where your eyebrows are.

Come on, please. You'd look adorable.

Precious. Please.

-Okay.
-Okay, face me.

This is how you cut bangs.
My mom showed me.

Do you like it?

Yes. l love it.

-You look great, Gwen.
-Come on.

l made a little mistake.

Now you really look
like a homeless person.

Come on, girls.

Sonali.

Sonali.

Gwen.

How could you?

Gwen. Gwen, l--

lf you girls thought
that this was a joke...

...l can assure you that
Gwen Thompson didn't think it was funny.

l wanna hear what happened
in that bathroom.

Well, we were trying to help her.

After all, she is homeless.

And how do you know
that she's homeless?

That's a private piece of information.

Chrissa told me.

-No, l didn't.
-Chrissa.

Gwen told me she confided in you,
and that she didn't tell anyone else.

And neither did l. Honest, l promise.

Jayden?

What happened?

l didn't see anything.

Now, l find that hard to believe.

Sonali?

Sonali?

Tara started to cut Gwen's hair...

...and there was an accident.

lt's very hard for someone
in Gwen's circumstances...

...to come to school every day.

She's now been devastated.

She's afraid to come back to school.

lt wasn't Chrissa who told Tara
about Gwen being homeless.

At least not on purpose.

We overheard them talking
in the music room.

That's how Tara knew.

An incident like this is never going
to happen at this school again.

Tara, l am going to suspend you
three days.

And while you're at home, l want you
to think about what Gwen is feeling.

How would you feel
if the same thing happened to you?

l will, Mrs. Ziminsky.

This is not the first time
that you girls have ganged up on her.

So Jayden and Sonali,
you're suspended for a day.

Will this go on my record?

Sonali, l wanna thank you.

lt's hard telling the truth.
lt's not always an easy thing to do.

And, Chrissa...

...l'm glad that Gwen has a friend
like you.

Well, girls...

...let's call your parents.

Tara.

That must have been so hard on you,
sweetie.

Watching those girls do that
to your friends.

l can't believe
they would call Gwen homeless...

...unless they really wanted
to hurt her feelings.

-Well, they did wanna hurt her feelings.
-Those girls are bullies.

When l was a girl,
there was a saying:

''Sticks and stones
may break your bones...

...but words can never hurt me.''

-l've heard of that.
-Well, it's not true.

Words can hurt.
They can do a lot of damage.

Once they're out there,
you can't take them back.

l know.

Just write that down.

Do you guys got that?
The three branches of government.

She's now been devastated,

She's afraid to come back to school,

Sunrise House,

Hello? ls Gwen Thomson there, please?

She's not here anymore,

-She moved already?
-Yes, Yes, she did,

Well, do you think l can have
her new number?

No, I'm sorry,
I can't give that information,

-Okay.
-Is there anything else I can do for you?

Okay. Thanks anyway.

-All right,
-Bye.

Did you see that shirt at the store?

Yeah, l saw it and l liked it.

-l need to talk to you.
-l don't wanna talk to you.

-Gwen, Chrissa didn't tell--
-Sonali, let's go.

Wait a second.

Gwen, Chrissa didn't tell Tara
your secret.

We heard you guys talking
in the music room.

That's how Tara knew.

And, Gwen, l'm really sorry
about how mean l've been to you.

You know, Tara's gonna be really mad.

Yeah.

You know what, Jayden?
l don't care.

This is, like, so out there.

This is, like, everywhere.

l'm done.

l kind of like this.

Our scarves are gonna look so cool.

lt's nothing.

l have been thinking about these girls
all weekend.

l don't know what we're gonna do.

Well, it's becoming a problem.

Tara's always been a little high-strung,
but she's always been a good student.

What about Chrissa? What is she like?

She's quiet, finishes all her work.

-Chrissa is a good kid.
-Okay.

But we're gonna have to do something.

You're right.

You are right, and l have an idea.

-l'll see you at lunch, Gwen.
-Bye.

Bye.

What is that thing on your head?

-Yeah, are you trying to look stupid?
-Take it off or you're out of our club.

l'm not taking it off. l like it.

Whatever.

Tara, Jayden, don't get too comfortable.

-Jayden, l'm moving you to Cluster 3.
-What? This isn't fair.

Tara, you switch with Brock.

But l can't see way back there.

We'll send a note
to get your vision checked.

ln the meantime,
take a seat in Cluster 1 .

And, Gwen,
l'm moving you to Cluster 4.

Gwen, come on.

No. Do you have it?

l got a new hairbrush.

-That's so funny.
-That's funny.

-Hi, Chrissa.
-Hi.

-Stop. lt's not funny.
-Stop laughing.

Stop it. lt's not funny. Stop it.

Stop.

-Guys, that's really mean.
-lt's not funny.

Stop it.

Gee, Chrissa, l guess nobody likes you.

-Guess not.
-Tara, you have to cut this out.

What? We didn't do anything, did we?

-No, we didn't.
-No.

-Just stop it, okay?
-Or what?

Or what?

Just stop it.

We're shaking. Shaking.

-Yeah, we're shaking.
-Shaking.

We're so scared.

-Bye, Chrissa.
-Bye, Chrissa.

l don't know.

-Are you okay?
-No.

My stomach hurts.

-Well, hello, ladies.
-Hi.

-Come on in.
-Hi.

-Okay.
-She's in there.

-Thanks.
-Thanks.

-Hey, guys.
-Hey.

Hi.

Are you okay?

Yeah.

Were there any signs hanging around
today?

No. Was that why you stayed home?

l just couldn't stand going back there
again.

l mean,
l'm really considering homeschooling.

Chrissa, l know how hard it can be
to go to school some days...

...but if there's one thing l've learned...

...staying home means you lose
and they win.

l mean, you're gonna get behind
in school...

...and then you'll have two problems:
Tara and bad grades.

Besides, we're stronger than they are.

Yeah.

-Yeah.
-Yeah.

Today we learned
about diagramming sentences.

Here.

-What page is it?
-l think 21 . Here, let me check it.

l'm a little off-- Oh, here it is.

Okay. Okay.

Guys, teammates don't do this
to one another.

Now, l'm gonna ask one last time.

Who posted that message?

lt wasn't me.

Okay, from now on, nothing gets posted
until l see it first.

And since no one's willing
to come forward...

...l have no choice
but to punish all of you.

We're gonna knock off practice today
a half-hour early...

...and we are going to clean this facility
until it shines.

And if l ever, ever see anything
like that again...

...l promise you l will cancel
the rest of this season.

Yes, Tara.

-ls it true?
-ls what true?

About the skin disease...

...because if it is,
l can't be swimming in that water.

You know what, Tara? You sit out today.

Let's go, young lady.

Oh, man.

Let's get to work. Group 1 , diving.
Group 2, conditioning.

Group 3, kick practice. Let's go.
Move it. Come on.

Hold the board tighter.

Forward.

All the boards are gone.

Look at this. You do great in practice...

...and then in competition, you freeze up.
What's up?

-You get nervous?
-Five more minutes.

Look, you just gotta pretend
there's nobody else there.

lt's just you and the water.
You gotta block everything else out.

All right?

-Okay.
-Let's go, Kelly.

-Nice, Tyler. Keep it up.
-Thanks.

-Don't forget your bag.
-Okay, guys. Conditioning.

Get your kickboards out.

-Come on, guys.
-Don't look so excited.

All right, nice. Good. Strong.
Strong work.

l can do that dive, Tyler.

-Yeah?
-lt's not so hard.

ln fact, l won a medal for it
in summer camp.

That's good for you, Tara.

Of course, my dive's harder
because l do a corkscrew twist.

-That doesn't sound that hard.
-l learned it from an Olympic champion.

He said l was a natural.
He complimented my form.

Tara, get down.
You're not supposed to be up here.

-What, are you gonna go tattletale on me?
-Tara, leave him alone.

No.

l bet you can't do it, Tyler,
because it's too hard.

-My corkscrew has two twists.
-Tara, come on.

-You won't be able to do it.
-Tara.

-You're not going to be able to do it.
-Tara, get down.

No.

-You're not gonna be able to do it.
-Stop it.

-You won't do it, chicken.
-Tara.

l'm the only one that can do it.

-Tara, he won't do it. Just come on, Tara.
-Twist.

Tyler!

Tyler!

Tyler!

Tyler. Oh, my gosh.

Honey, don't cry. He's gonna be all right.

You don't know that.

This is all my fault.

Oh, really?
Did you push him off the board?

No, but l didn't do anything.

l mean, all l kept on thinking was,
''l've gotta go get Mr. Beck.''

And l didn't.

lt all happened so fast.

Honey, it's a really horrible thing
that happened...

...but it is absolutely not your fault.

Hey. Hey. Tyler's gonna be okay.

lt isn't a concussion,
but they're gonna keep him overnight.

-Well, can l go see him?
-He's sleeping right now, sweetie.

No, l think you should go home.

-He'll be home tomorrow, okay?
-Come on.

Come on, honey. lt's gonna be okay.

l was only fooling around.
l didn't mean for anyone to get hurt.

Save it, Tara.

Neither one of you had any business
being up on that ladder.

Do you see why the rules are in place?

We just talked about horsing around,
remember?

Yes. l'm really upset.

l'm so sorry.

What am l gonna do with you?

l gotta separate you in class,
and l gotta separate you in swimming too?

Tara, you're on towel duty
for the rest of the season.

-Do l still get to swim?
-Yes.

After each and every meet and practice...

...you'll be responsible
for all the wet and dirty towels.

What about her?

-Chrissa.
-lt's okay.

l decided l'm gonna quit the team.

Chrissa, that isn't necessary.

Now, Chrissa, l know you're upset
about your brother...

...but there have to be consequences
when you break the rules.

l'm not quitting
just to get out of punishment.

Okay, then, why?

Okay, Chrissa.

You're gonna be cleaning up the classroom
for the next two weeks.

Bring it on. Bring it on.

Yeah, you don't want me to bring it on.

Tyler.

-We have something for you.
-Yes, we do.

What? A pound of chocolate Raisinets?

-No.
-No.

-A new Game Boy?
-No.

Then what?

-A solidarity scarf, silly.
-Sweet.

No way am l wearing this.

Dig it.

Lemonade and cookies in the kitchen.

-l'm totally there.
-Do you want some?

Sure, but wait.

l heard you quit the swim team.

-Well, yeah. l had to.
-Why?

Because you're out
for the rest of the season.

-So l'm gonna stay out too.
-Well, that's stupid.

Tyler, l'm really, really sorry
this happened to you.

Me too. l'm never listening to Tara again.

This is all my fault.

Chrissa, it isn't about you.
l should have never listened to her.

No. No, if Tara didn't hate me so much,
she would have never done this to you.

-l don't wanna be around her anymore.
-So you're a quitter?

l guess so.

The Tigers will be inspired to win
after they see this poster.

l hope so.

So...

...l hear you quit the swim team.

Yeah, l decided
l don't really like swimming.

Really?

And if Tyler can't swim....

l don't think this has anything to do
with Tyler.

l do, however, think
this has something to do with Tara.

You know...

...l always felt sorry for Tara.

Why?

Well, because when someone
is determined...

...to make other people
feel bad about themselves...

...it's usually so they can feel good
about themselves.

How can making someone feel bad
make you feel good?

Because in order to feel
like you're worth something...

...you need other people
to feel less than their best.

lt sounds to me
like that's what Tara's done to you.

She doesn't act like she feels bad
about herself.

Saying mean things.
Hurting other people.

Cutting you down.

She must be very insecure.

lf you could wave a magic wand
and change something...

...what would you do?

You won't be able to do it, chicken,

Tara, get down,

l would take back Tyler's accident...

...and make it so that no one's ever mean
to anyone again.

That would be lovely, wouldn't it?
But it's not very realistic.

l find that sometimes
when kids have a big problem...

...they try to solve it themselves...

...but sometimes problems
are too big and complicated...

...for kids to solve on their own.

They need help and they need to know
that it's okay to ask for help.

Grownups say that,
but what if it doesn't work?

We're the ones who have to go to school
with the mean kids who just get meaner.

l see your point...

...but l think you'd be surprised...

...at how turning to an adult you trust
can help.

Sometimes they can help in a way
where it's not really obvious.

Don't you have an adult you can turn to
when you have a problem?

My mom says l can tell her and my dad
anything.

That would be a very good place to start.

Thanks.

Don't spoil your appetite.
Oh, hey, Chrissa.

Chicken Fricassee's on the menu.
With paprika? Without?

-With.
-With.

-Mom.
-Hand me that.

-Dad?
-Yeah.

Moving out here has been really hard.

Because you miss your friends?

Not just because of that,
but because of this.

Oh, Chrissa.

May l see that? Let me see.

Do you know who did this?

-l'm betting it was Tara.
-Swim-team Tara?

Yeah.

lt's because of her
that she quit the team.

Chrissa, you quit the swim team?

Honey, l'm so sorry.
That Tara is bad news.

l knew something was going on.

lt's just so hard.
l've been trying to make it work.

Oh, sweetheart, for how long?

Since the first day of school.

So Gwen wasn't the only one
being bullied?

Oh, honey, l wish you'd come to us.

l don't wanna be called a tattletale.

Tattling's different.
lt's kind of like getting even with someone.

Speaking up is protecting yourself.

l'm so sorry this has been going on.

Believe me, it stops now.
l'm gonna call the principal and Mr. Beck.

We're gonna set up a meeting
and tell them.

No, that's just gonna make it worse.

Sweetie, that's how bullies work.

They depend on kids being
too afraid to speak up.

That's how the bullying keeps going.

-Yeah?
-Yeah.

-Are you sure, Mom?
-l'm positive, baby.

Okay.

Oh, hey.

Are you still working on ideas for
that big fourth-grade social studies project?

Yeah.

Maybe there's something
we could do about that.

Okay, class, let's open our English books.

-Mr. Beck?
-To page 50.

-Mr. Beck.
-Yes, Chrissa?

l have an idea for our project.

Well, l love your enthusiasm...

...but we're talking about that
next week.

-But l have an idea today.
-What?

-Have a llama-bean omelet this morning?
-Tara.

Okay, Chrissa, what is it?

Let's do our project
about school bullying.

l think that's a great idea.

How many of you have felt bullied?

l wanna do this
because this happened to me.

And l didn't know how to make it stop.

And then l didn't even
wanna go to school.

Okay. Looks like we have a project.

So?

You don't have to ask. School was great.

They loved my idea.

You know what?
Lots of kids have been bullied.

Did Tara or Jayden
do anything bad today?

No.

See? l knew you
were gonna have a good day.

So tomorrow's the big swim meet,
isn't it?

Yeah, l guess it is.

l decided l'm not gonna go.

Did l ever tell you
how the kids were mean to me?

You, Mom?

Yup.

l was getting the highest grades in the class
and the kids were calling me names...

...like ''egghead'' and ''brainiac''
and ''bookworm.''

''Miss Square.''

So to make it stop,
l started failing instead of succeeding.

And then l realized how stupid that was.

Why?

Sweetie, it's never smart
to be less than who you are.

Or to let anyone
take anything away from you.

Thanks, Mom.

Jimmy.

Wait up.

-Chrissa.
-Hey.

Well, looks like
our team's complete, guys.

Welcome back, Chrissa.

Go, Chrissa.

-Good to have you back, sweetie.
-Come on, get out here, we're warming up.

Now we have a team.

-Chrissa.
-Go, Chrissa.

-Next race: girls 50-meter freestyle,
-Go, go, go.

Go, go, go.

-Go, go, go.
-Swimmers, take your mark,

-Come on, Chrissa.
-Okay, Chrissa, let's go!

Do it, sweetie.

Go, go, go!

Go!

Let's go, come on, come on!

Come on, Chrissa!

Come on, let's go, let's go, let's go!

Come on, Chrissa, go!

Come on, go, go, go!

Come on, come on!

Go, go!

Go! Come on, Chrissa!

Attagirl, pull!

Chrissa Maxwell wins
the 50-meter freestyle for the Tigers,

-Yes!
-Yeah.

Next race: boys 50-meter freestyle,

-Swimmers,
-Thanks.

Take your mark,

Tara. Tara.

What?

We may never be best friends,
we may never be any kind of friends...

...but that's okay.

You and l are the best swimmers.

And if we work together,
our team could win.

James Spencer wins the 50-meter freestyle
for the Tigers,,,

,,,and ties the score,

Coming up, our last race of the day:

-The girls 200-meter medley relay,
-Come on.

Chrissa, you're first, Alexandra second...

...Rachel third, and,
Tara, you're anchor.

-Mr. Beck?
-Yeah?

Chrissa should swim anchor.

But l've never swam anchor before.

Are you kidding me?

You're the strongest swimmer.
You're like a human fish.

-But l don't know--
-Come on.

Do you want this team to win or not?

Yes. Come on, come on, come on.
Let's go, let's go.

-Come on, Tara.
-Come on.

-Come on, Tara.
-Come on, Tara.

You can do it.

Swimmers, on your mark,

-Come on!
-Come on, Tara!

Go, Tara! Come on.

Let's go, Tara.

Tara!

Go, go, come on!

Go, Tara.

-Go, Tara!
-Come on!

Come on, Tara, go!

Keep going, keep going!
Come on, Tara! Come on!

Let's go, Tara!

Slow down, Tara.

Let's go!

Go, Tara, go!

Come on, come on, come on! Tara, Tara!

Good job.

Come on, Alexandra!

Go, Alexandra!

Come on! Go, Alexandra!

-Come on, Alexandra.
-Pull!

-You can do it!
-Come on! Go, go, go!

Please, go! Go!

Come on, come on!

Let's go, Alexandra, come on.

Come on, Rachel!
Go, Tigers, come on!

Come on, Rachel.

Go! Go, go!

Yeah, Rachel!

Good job.

You can catch her.

Go, Rachel, go!

Go!

Come on, Rachel!

Go, Tigers! Come on! Come on.

Okay, don't overreach,
it'll make your back arch.

Keep your fingers open, not clenched.

You're going to have to
bend your elbows sooner underwater.

lf you do that, we're gonna win.

Come on, Rachel! Go, Tigers! Come on!

Go, Chrissa!

Come on, you can do it!

Go! Go!

Go, go, go! Come on!

Chrissa! You can do it!

You're second! Touch it! Yeah!

-Come on!
-Come on, Chrissa. Come on.

l'm very, very proud
of this year's fourth-grade project.

And it will stand here at the school
as a permanent reminder.

Here to present our project
is Miss Chrissa Maxwell.

-Chrissa!
-Hi.

Go, Chrissa.

Our project is on school bullying.

Kids who've been bullied
are afraid to speak out...

...because the bullying might get worse.

They think there's nothing
that they can do about it.

l know this from personal experience.

But if they stop and speak up,
things can get a lot better.

Never keep bullying a secret.

Whether it's about you or a friend.

This is the friendship arch, and
everyone in the fourth grade chose a word.

And in the middle
there's the word ''hello'' ...

...because my grandmother always told me,
'''Hello' is the first word in a friendship.''

l love you, Nana.

l chose the word ''courage'' because
it takes courage to stand up to a bully.

And it takes courage to stop being a bully.

''Accept'' is my word.

And l realized that it starts with me.

No one is better or worse
than anyone else.

We all have the same problems.
l love you, Mom.

l chose the word ''forgive.''

Once you forgive, you can move forward.

l chose the word ''strength'' ...

...because no matter
what's going on around you...

...it's important to be strong inside.

And to be true to yourself.

l chose the word ''kind.''

l chose the words ''no envy.''

l chose the word ''loyal.''

Come on, Amanda.
We're taking Starburst for her first swim.

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