You might think that a
film focusing on the lives of a group of eight grade students would be of
particular interest to the grandparents of a recent graduate of eighth grade.
While it is at the same time both a charming and a painful portrayal of the
lives of a group of 14 year olds, the children in this film are living in a
rather different environment from our grandchildren. Still, the main character,
a girl named Kayla (played by the young actress Elsie Fisher) faces many of the
same trials and tribulations faced by young teenagers everywhere.
One thing that
watching this film made me realize is the extent to which the easy availability
of the internet via small hand-held devices has made the lives of teenagers more
challenging than ever. While in some ways these tools help them to maintain
connections to a broader universe, they can also become quite overwhelming. Kayla
spends much of her time either creating her own internet videos in which she
shares her thoughts on a variety of topics or watching those of others. It is
not clear who if anyone is watching the material she is posting, but creating
these posts at least gives her the feeling that she is communicating important
and deep insights.
The story takes place
during the final week of middle school classes. To prepare for the transition
to high school, each of the students is paired and spends a day with a high
school senior. Kayla and the charming Olivia become fast friends, but Kayla
soon has to acknowledge to herself that she may not be quite as ready to deal
with more mature relationships in her future than she might have thought.
All in all, it is quite
an endearing film, particularly if you have any junior high schoolers in your
life.
Camp Ramah posted some great pictures of Joshua playing frisbee.
And here are a couple of the July 11th visit to Six Flags.
Have an enjoyable weekend.
Love,
Rebecca
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