[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:01.62,0:00:04.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I grew up in East Los Angeles,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:04.12,0:00:06.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not even realizing I was poor.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.29,0:00:10.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My dad was a high-ranking gang member who ran the streets.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.40,0:00:11.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Everyone knew who I was,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.70,0:00:15.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so I thought I was a pretty big deal, and I was protected,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.15,0:00:17.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and even though my dad spent most of my life
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.72,0:00:19.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in and out of jail,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.07,0:00:23.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I had an amazing mom who was just fiercely independent.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.57,0:00:25.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She worked at the local high school
Dialogue: 0,0:00:25.08,0:00:27.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as a secretary in the dean's office,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.64,0:00:30.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so she got to see all the kids that got thrown out of class,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.32,0:00:33.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for whatever reason, who were waiting to be disciplined.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.16,0:00:36.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Man, her office was packed.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.95,0:00:40.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, see, kids like us, we have a lot of things to deal with
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.75,0:00:42.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,outside of school,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.31,0:00:45.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and sometimes we're just not ready to focus.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.23,0:00:47.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But that doesn't mean that we can't.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.56,0:00:49.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It just takes a little bit more.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.74,0:00:52.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like, I remember one day I found my dad
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.85,0:00:55.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,convulsing, foaming at the mouth,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.19,0:00:57.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,OD-ing on the bathroom floor.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.41,0:00:59.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Really, do you think that doing my homework that night
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.88,0:01:02.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was at the top of my priority list?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.39,0:01:03.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not so much.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.86,0:01:06.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I really needed a support network,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.99,0:01:09.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a group of people who were going to help me
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.32,0:01:11.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,make sure that I wasn't going to be
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.54,0:01:14.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a victim of my own circumstance,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.19,0:01:15.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that they were going to push me
Dialogue: 0,0:01:15.80,0:01:18.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,beyond what I even thought I could do.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.37,0:01:21.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I needed teachers, in the classroom, every day,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.84,0:01:25.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who were going to say, "You can move beyond that."
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.58,0:01:28.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And unfortunately, the local junior high
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.86,0:01:30.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was not going to offer that.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.97,0:01:34.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was gang-infested, huge teacher turnover rate.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.80,0:01:37.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So my mom said, "You're going on a bus
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.98,0:01:43.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,an hour and a half away from where we live every day."
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.19,0:01:45.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So for the next two years, that's what I did.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.55,0:01:50.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I took a school bus to the fancy side of town.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.04,0:01:52.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And eventually, I ended up at a school
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.96,0:01:54.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where there was a mixture.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.53,0:01:57.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There were some people who were really gang-affiliated,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.21,0:01:58.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then there were those of us
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.67,0:02:00.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,really trying to make it to high school.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.67,0:02:04.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, trying to stay out of trouble was a little unavoidable.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.17,0:02:05.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You had to survive.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.88,0:02:08.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You just had to do things sometimes.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.54,0:02:10.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So there were a lot of teachers who were like,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.89,0:02:12.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"She's never going to make it.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.32,0:02:13.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She has an issue with authority.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.91,0:02:15.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She's not going to go anywhere."
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.55,0:02:19.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some teachers completely wrote me off as a lost cause.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.64,0:02:22.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But then, they were very surprised
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.81,0:02:26.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when I graduated from high school.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.00,0:02:28.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was accepted to Pepperdine University,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.86,0:02:31.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I came back to the same school that I attended
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.98,0:02:33.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to be a special ed assistant.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.90,0:02:38.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then I told them, "I want to be a teacher."
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.45,0:02:41.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And boy, they were like, "What? Why?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.67,0:02:43.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why would you want to do that?"
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.19,0:02:45.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I began my teaching career
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.48,0:02:49.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at the exact same middle school that I attended,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.01,0:02:52.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I really wanted to try to save more kids
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.44,0:02:54.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who were just like me.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.52,0:02:57.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so every year, I share my background with my kids,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.72,0:03:00.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because they need to know that everyone has a story,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.77,0:03:03.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,everyone has a struggle,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.14,0:03:06.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and everyone needs help along the way.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.89,0:03:11.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I am going to be their help along the way.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.02,0:03:17.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So as a rookie teacher, I created opportunity.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.09,0:03:19.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I had a kid one day come into my class
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.74,0:03:22.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,having been stabbed the night before.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.94,0:03:25.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was like, "You need to go to a hospital,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.44,0:03:28.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the school nurse, something."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.71,0:03:30.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He's like, "No, Miss, I'm not going.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.88,0:03:33.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I need to be in class because I need to graduate."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.64,0:03:37.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So he knew that I was not going to let him be a victim
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.04,0:03:38.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of his circumstance,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:38.81,0:03:42.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but we were going to push forward and keep moving on.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.85,0:03:46.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this idea of creating a safe haven for our kids
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.74,0:03:50.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and getting to know exactly what they're going through,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.86,0:03:54.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,getting to know their families -- I wanted that,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.11,0:03:59.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but I couldn't do it in a school with 1,600 kids,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:59.59,0:04:03.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and teachers turning over year after year after year.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.07,0:04:07.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How do you get to build those relationships?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.12,0:04:10.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we created a new school.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.70,0:04:12.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we created
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.18,0:04:15.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the San Fernando Institute for Applied Media.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.72,0:04:19.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we made sure that we were still attached
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.19,0:04:23.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to our school district for funding, for support.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.23,0:04:26.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But with that, we were going to gain freedom:
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.35,0:04:28.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,freedom to hire the teachers
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.60,0:04:31.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we knew were going to be effective;
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.92,0:04:34.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,freedom to control the curriculum
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.66,0:04:40.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that we're not doing lesson 1.2 on page five, no;
Dialogue: 0,0:04:40.30,0:04:43.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and freedom to control a budget,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.02,0:04:45.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to spend money where it matters,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:45.61,0:04:49.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not how a district or a state says you have to do it.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:49.85,0:04:52.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We wanted those freedoms.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.15,0:04:54.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But now, shifting an entire paradigm,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:54.73,0:04:58.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it hasn't been an easy journey, nor is it even complete.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.87,0:05:01.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But we had to do it.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:01.22,0:05:05.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our community deserved a new way of doing things.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.34,0:05:08.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And as the very first pilot middle school
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.87,0:05:12.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in all of Los Angeles Unified School District,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.09,0:05:15.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you better believe there was some opposition.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:15.07,0:05:17.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it was out of fear --
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.19,0:05:20.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fear of, well, what if they get it wrong?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.42,0:05:22.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yeah, what if we get it wrong?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.60,0:05:24.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But what if we get it right?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.85,0:05:26.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we did.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.93,0:05:29.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So even though teachers were against it
Dialogue: 0,0:05:29.54,0:05:32.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because we employ one-year contracts --
Dialogue: 0,0:05:32.12,0:05:36.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can't teach, or you don't want to teach,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.19,0:05:39.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you don't get to be at my school with my kids.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:39.25,0:05:46.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.01,0:05:49.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in our third year, how did we do it?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:49.69,0:05:53.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, we're making school worth coming to every day.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:53.12,0:05:55.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We make our kids feel like they matter to us.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:55.88,0:05:59.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We make our curriculum rigorous and relevant to them,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:59.77,0:06:02.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they use all the technology that they're used to.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:02.35,0:06:05.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Laptops, computers, tablets -- you name it, they have it.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.28,0:06:09.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Animation, software, moviemaking software, they have it all.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.20,0:06:13.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And because we connect it to what they're doing —
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.01,0:06:16.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example, they made public service announcements
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.21,0:06:17.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for the Cancer Society.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.84,0:06:20.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These were played in the local trolley system.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.66,0:06:22.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Teaching elements of persuasion,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:22.67,0:06:25.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it doesn't get any more real than that.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.59,0:06:27.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our state test scores have gone up
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.75,0:06:30.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,more than 80 points since we've become our own school.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.74,0:06:33.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it's taken all stakeholders, working together --
Dialogue: 0,0:06:33.83,0:06:37.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,teachers and principals on one-year contracts,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.02,0:06:40.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,working over and above and beyond their contract hours
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.84,0:06:43.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,without compensation.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.88,0:06:46.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it takes a school board member
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.10,0:06:48.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who is going to lobby for you and say,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.05,0:06:50.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Know, the district is trying to impose this,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.48,0:06:53.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but you have the freedom to do otherwise."
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.51,0:06:56.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it takes an active parent center
Dialogue: 0,0:06:56.07,0:07:00.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who is not only there, showing a presence every day,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.15,0:07:03.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but who is part of our governance,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:03.02,0:07:08.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,making decisions for their kids, our kids.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:08.02,0:07:10.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because why should our students have to go
Dialogue: 0,0:07:10.63,0:07:13.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so far away from where they live?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:13.61,0:07:17.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They deserve a quality school in their neighborhood,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.33,0:07:20.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a school that they can be proud to say they attend,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:20.50,0:07:24.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a school that the community can be proud of as well,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:24.17,0:07:28.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they need teachers to fight for them every day
Dialogue: 0,0:07:28.37,0:07:33.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and empower them to move beyond their circumstances.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:33.70,0:07:36.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because it's time that kids like me
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.42,0:07:41.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stop being the exception, and we become the norm.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.14,0:07:42.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:42.45,0:07:46.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)