A Girl Like Her

1

Jess, look over here.

What are you doing?

Where did you get that

and why are you

videotaping me?

- I found it.

- You found it?

OK, I didn't find it,

I bought it.

Do you have

your seatbelt on?

Yes, I do.

Your rearview

mirrors OK?

Mm-hmm.

Oh, my gosh.

I get so scared

when you're driving.

- Why?

- I don't know.

Let's see how well

this turn... oh, no.

- OK, OK, don't judge me, don't judge me.

- Oh, my gosh.

This is exactly why

I get so scared.

Where are your books?

I forgot them.

Oh.

How are you going to study

for that test tomorrow?

There's a test tomorrow?

Yeah.

All right, we need

to make a signature out.

Just say, "I'm Jess"

and "Peace!"

or something.

I'm outtie.

Wait, wait, wait.

- You're embarrassing me.

- What about... what about

just, like, a...

That was good.

You know, it's not

every day that you get to come

to a school anywhere

in America and see

this type of excitement

that doesn't surround sports.

The National Commission

for High School Education

does not hand

this honor out easily.

Number Ten

in the entire nation,

and they are more

than proud here because,

whether or not they knew

an award was at stake or not,

they did the right things.

We cannot go any further

without interviewing

the man of the hour.

We're talking about

the principal of this school,

and you're gonna hear

a lot of cheering

'cause these students

love this guy.

Principal Richard Harris.

Principal...

Congratulations to you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

The eyes of the nation...

not on North Brookdale,

but on South Brookdale.

Yes!

Yeah, Brookdale!

What is it about this school

that sets it apart?

I know the students are

special, but what about

the way things

are done here?

It's a community.

It's the parents

getting involved

with the students, getting

involved with the teachers,

everybody doing it.

It's a community effort

and then the kids

doing it themselves.

Without their hard work,

without them saying,

"We want to do this,"

this couldn't happen.

That's the only way I can

say it; it's everybody

doing what they should do,

and this is it!

We're the best!

Do you know

an average person laughs

about 15 times a day?

Really?

That was, like,

a courtesy laugh.

- I felt bad.

- Ha ha!

What are you doing?

Um, come here.

I went to a little spy

camera store...

and I found

this little guy.

That's not a camera.

It is a camera,

and I know how much

you like dragonflies,

so I talked to the guy

and... just

fancied it up

a little bit.

- But...

- I don't...

- We'll clip it here.

- Are you messing with me?

I'm dead serious.

It records.

It's recording

right now.

Wait.

Yeah, it's recording.

Look.

That is actually

a camera.

Well, where's the...

where's the lens?

That's a secret.

I can't tell you.

But just know

that it's wireless

and I will turn it

on and make sure

it's all working.

I've rigged it

like a pin,

and we can put it

on you.

We can put it on

during school

and record

everything,

and it'll just look

like, you know,

a necklace or just

like you're wearing

a pin, and nobody will

ever know what it is.

Jess,

are you in here?

Jessica?

Sweetheart!

Wake up! Jessica!

Jessica!

No.

No, no, no, no, no!

What... what did you do?!

Sweetie, what did you do?!

What did you do?!

16-year-old female.

Overdosed on hydrocodone,

750 milligrams.

OK. Uh-huh. Yeah.

- Her vitals are very low.

- OK.

- 80 over 40.

- OK.

She's been unconscious

for two hours.

OK, get her in.

All right,

hook up a monitor.

Do an EKG.

Get a CBC,

blood gases,

liver enzymes,

prepare for intubation.

Get a social worker

in here, stat!

96.3, WDVD,

Blaine and Allison.

Another cloudy day, 7:45.

So did you hear this?

In light of all the hoopla

surrounding South Brookdale's

tenth ranking in the nation,

which, by the way,

totally amazing,

if you ask me.

I know.

It's pretty awesome!

An award-winning

filmmaker has decided

to include the school

in her important documentary

that examines the best

American high schools,

and South Brookdale

is the only public school

featured.

Let's hear it

for South Brookdale!

The students

of South Brookdale

are about to have

their 15 minutes.

Principal Harris.

- Yes.

- What an exciting time

for South Brookdale.

Well, we are

the first public school

ever to make

the top 100...

and not only 100,

we're Number Ten

in the country.

It was

a complete surprise.

Go, Maples, baby!

Go, Maples!

Number One!

Everyone's so excited,

and now we have pep rallies

coming up for it.

It's kind of cool 'cause,

you know, all of us are

together to celebrate

one big thing.

Good morning, ladies.

How are ya?

- Good.

- Good.

We're excited that

you have, uh, you've come

to see our little corner

of the world.

Getting ready, ladies?

Everybody good?

It's a good day.

- Is she in a hospital?

- I don't know.

I didn't even know anything.

I heard about it

in the halls.

There's rumors going

everywhere.

I literally just... just

talked to her the other day.

I keep thinking

about the classes

I've had with her

since I've gotten here.

Nothing happens around here

and, like, this happens?

Like, it doesn't make

any sense, you know?

Like, you see it

on TV shows, but when

it's actually happening,

like, at your school,

someone you have

a class with?

Yeah.

Yeah.

You OK?

I just feel so bad.

I wasn't really the best

of friends with her, but

I did know her

and she was in my classes.

I saw her in my classes

and stuff, but...

that was about it.

She's really kind-hearted.

Really nice girl.

Kind of shy.

Jessica was probably one of

the sweetest girls I ever knew.

I think she was probably

one of those people

that got ran over

and pushed to the side.

There's been something

a little more reserved

with her lately.

I did. I did

and I didn't.

Wasn't a drastic change

in her behavior.

Uh, there was just a...

um... a little less

enthusiasm for school.

Most of the time, she said

she was fine, but sometimes

she just said, uh, she sort

of brushed it off by saying,

"Oh, I just have

a lot on my mind."

Kind of the typical

teenage answer, but,

as a teacher,

I should know better.

This was something a lot

deeper and darker

for her.

I heard from a few people

that there was a few girls

who were giving her

a hard time.

Mainly I just heard it was,

like, bullying over time

and, you know, uh, from...

someone in the classroom.

I heard that she was

getting harassed a lot

by some girl that goes

to our school.

Yeah, her name's Avery.

I don't really know Avery,

but I've kind of heard

of her and stay

out of her way.

I mean, she doesn't

seem mean,

but when she's around

Jessica, she just

sort of... I guess she

just sort of changes.

I've met Avery, and she

doesn't seem like that type

of person who would do that,

but, I mean,

I guess... rumor has it.

You just hear all

the rumors.

You don't hear anything

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