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>> GRADUATION RATES AND POVERTY IN NEW MEXICO, BUT HOW
OFTEN DO WE HEAR FROM STUDENTS THEMSELVES?
THE DOCUMENTARY, "OUR TIME IS NOW" SCREENED RECENTLY ON NEW
MEXICO PBS AND FOLLOWED SIX TEENS IN RURAL NEW MEXICO
FACING COMPLEX CHALLENGES TO COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL.
I SAT DOWN WITH THE FILMMAKER, ERIN HUDSON AND TWO STUDENTS
TO HEAR ABOUT THEIR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE, THEIR STORIES WILL
BE PART OF "THE AMERICAN GRADUATE DAY," A SEVEN-HOUR
BROADCAST AIRING ON NEW MEXICO PBS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28,
STARTING AT 10:00 A.M. LOOK FOR THEIR SEGMENT AT 1:00
P.M. >> WELCOME TO A SPECIAL
SEGMENT OF "NEW MEXICO INFOCUS" TALKING WITH THE
FILMMAKER AND TWO SUBJECTS OF THE DOCUMENTARY "OUR TIME IS
NOW" ABOUT GRADUATING AND PART OF "THE AMERICAN GRADUATE"
SERIES. ERIN HUDSON, DIRECTOR, LET ME
START WITH YOU. SET SOME CONTEXT HERE.
HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT? WHAT WAS THE PROJECT THAT
ALLOWED YOU TO FOLLOW THESE GUYS FOR THEIR LAST YEAR OF
HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND? >> IT WAS A GREAT
COLLABORATION WITH GEAR UP NEW MEXICO, A PROGRAM THROUGH THE
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND LITTLE GLOBE, WHICH IS A
NONPROFIT. AND WE DECIDED TO WORK WITH
JUNIORS ACROSS THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, SO JUAN AND JIMMY
HERE AND FOUR OTHERS WERE A PART OF THAT PROJECT.
>> STRUGGLES OF THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THAT YOU DOCUMENTED
OVER THE COURSE OF TIME, AMAZING THE THINGS THEY HAD TO
PUNCH THROUGH, WE'LL GET TO IT WITH THESE GUYS, BUT, FOR WHAT
YOU, WHAT DID THAT MEAN, TO GET THAT CLOSE?
>> GOSH, I MEAN, I CAME AWAY WITH THE INCREDIBLE CAPACITY
FOR HUMAN SURVIVAL, FOR HUMAN EXCELLENCE AND I MEAN THESE
TWO HERE ARE PART OF THAT REAL STORY.
I MEAN, WE HEAR SO OFTEN THAT NEW MEXICO HAS A VERY LOW
GRADUATION RATE, ONE OF THE LOWEST IN THE NATION, AND IT
WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE FILM TO SEE, WHAT ARE THESE
STORIES BEHIND THAT STATISTIC AND WHAT ARE THE STORIES IN
DEPTH AND WHAT ARE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS IN NEW MEXICO
EXPERIENCING AND GOING THROUGH?
>> WHAT IS IT LIKE HAVING A CRITICAL PART OF YOUR LIFE
DOCUMENTED? WHAT DID THAT FEEL LIKE?
>> IT IS REALLY, REALLY STRANGE, TO BE PERFECTLY
HONEST. LIKE AFTER THE DOCUMENTARY WAS
AIRED IN MY SCHOOL, LIKE PEOPLE WHO I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW,
LIKE, "HEY, JIMMY." "LIKE, I DON'T KNOW YOU."
"HOW ARE YOU?" LIKE IT IS DEFINITELY -- WHAT
IS THE WORD I AM LOOKING FOR? DEFINITELY A EXPERIENCE, TO BE
SURE. >> WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL FOR
YOUR FAMILY? LOOKING BACK NOW, HOW DOES IT
FEEL TO NOW BE IN SCHOOL AND SEE WHAT YOU CAME THROUGH WITH
ALL THAT? >> LIKE A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT
AND I WANT TO BE THE FIRST PERSON IN MY FAMILY TO
GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE AND I FEEL LIKE I AM GOING TOWARDS
THAT. >> IF I REMEMBER THIS
CORRECTLY, YOU WANTED TO TEACH SPANISH AND SOME OTHER THINGS.
HAS THAT CHANGED AT ALL? IS IT THE SAME?
>> IT IS STILL THE SAME, MATH AND SPANISH HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
>> RIGHT. WHAT DROVE THAT DECISION?
I THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING IN THE FILM THAT YOU WANTED TO
DO THAT. >> I REMEMBER ONE DAY MY
LITTLE SISTER, I HAD TO HELP HER MATH AND WHATEVER SHE GOT
A GOOD GRADE, AND IT WAS A GREAT FEELING INSIDE.
FROM THERE I WANTED TO BE A TEACHER AND HAVE IMPACT ON
STUDENTS LIVES. >> ONE THING THAT YOU CAN LOOK
BACK AND SAY THAT WAS THE ONE THING?
>> I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IT WAS THE PUSHING FROM MY MOTHER TO
GET GOOD GRADES AND TO MAKE IT TO COLLEGE AND BE THE FIRST IN
MY FAMILY TO EVEN ATTEND A UNIVERSITY.
>> YOU WERE QUITE OPEN AND YOUR MOM WAS OPEN ABOUT TIMES
AT THAT TIME AND FOR HER PREVIOUS TO THAT, THERE WAS
SOME DRUG ISSUES THAT HAPPENED SOMETIMES IN LIFE, AND THERE
WERE THINGS ABOUT, YOUR DAD AND HIS ABILITY TO BE AROUND
OR NOT. >> LUCKILY, SINCE THE FILM HAS
COME OUT AND SINCE I GRADUATED ME AND MY DAD, LIKE WHILE THE
FILM WAS BEING FILMED, WE HAD A BIT OF FALLING OUT BUT WE
HAVE SINCE COME TO TERMS. >> WONDERFUL.
HOW IMPORTANT, WHEN YOU MADE THE FILM, DID YOU FIND
PARENTS, MENTORS ALL THOSE KIND OF FOLKS TO BE FOR FOLKS
TO GRADUATE? >> THEY ARE VITAL.
ADULTS THAT ARE IN THE LIVES OF STUDENTS THAT ACT AS
MENTORS, AS STRONG TEACHER, YOU KNOW, ANY KIND OF ROLE
MODEL. I KNOW FOR JIMMY, YOUR BAND
DIRECTOR WAS VITAL IN YOUR LIFE.
YOUR FILMMAKING TEACHER WAS. YOUR SOCCER COACH.
THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL WAS A HUGE SUPPORTER OF YOU AT YOUR
SCHOOL. SO, IT IS FINDING THOSE ADULTS
THAT CONNECT WITH THE STUDENTS AND EVEN JUST ONE ADULT,
WHETHER THAT IS IN THE SCHOOL ATMOSPHERE OR MAYBE IT IS
THROUGH EXTRACURRICULAR. EXTRACURRICULARS WERE VERY
VITAL FOR YOU BOTH, AND PASSIONS WERE VERY VITAL TO
GET YOU THROUGH SCHOOL. SO, I THINK, YEAH, IT IS THAT
CONNECTION. >> THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL,
JUAN, AT YOUR SCHOOL, CAME ACROSS, HE REALLY WANTED YOU
TO SUCCEED. >> HE WAS INSPIRING, SOMEBODY
LIKE ACTUALLY BELIEVED IN ME, LIKE, OUTSIDE OF THE FAMILY,
SOMEBODY ELSE BELIEVED THAT I COULD.
>> WAS THAT COMMON OF MOST THE OTHER FOLKS THAT YOU
INTERVIEWED AS WELL? >> IT WAS INTERESTING FOR ME
TO BE KIND OF ON THE OUTSIDE OF THESE -- THE COMMUNITY THAT
THE STUDENTS WERE IN AND THEN KIND OF TRYING TO NAVIGATE
WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY. AND TO SEE WHAT THE SUPPORT
SYSTEM WAS THERE. AND, I THINK, SO, THE TWO
YOUNG WOMEN IN DEMING, VICKIE AND TIKA, WE REALLY SEE,
BECAUSE VICKIE DOESN'T HAVE A PARENT ROLE, HOW VITAL, THEN,
A FRIENDSHIP IS, HOW VITAL HER FRIENDS' PARENTS ARE AND
EXTENDED FAMILY IN THAT WAY. SO, WE SEE THAT IN NEW MEXICO
ESPECIALLY IN RURAL COMMUNITIES, EXTENDED FAMILIES
PLAY A VITAL ROLE. SMALL TOWNS WHERE YOU KNOW
EVERYONE, ACTUALLY, CAN REALLY BENEFIT, YOU KNOW, YOUR
EXPERIENCE FOR GETTING THROUGH.
>> I BET. I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS HAVING
TROUBLE WITH GRADES IN THE FILM RED RUM, THE END OF MY
JUNIOR YEAR, IT WAS RIGHT AFTER I GOT KICKED OUT OF MY
DAD'S HOUSE. IT WAS JUST A HARD TIME AND
ONE DAY AFTER BAND PRACTICE, MR. BROWN, MY DIRECTOR, PULLS
ME OUT, HE IS LIKE, "WHAT IS GOING ON? WHAT IS THE DEAL?
LIKE, I AM LOOKING AT YOUR GRADES, YOUR GRADES ARE GOOD.
NOW THEY ARE BAD. WHAT IS THE DEAL.
GET YOUR CRAP TOGETHER, LIKE." >> CURIOUS, NOW THAT YOU GUYS
HAVE GOTTEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL, I KNOW THIS FOR
MYSELF, YOU HAVE A VASTLY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ONCE
YOU'RE OUT AND LOOKING BACK. IN THE MIDDLE, IT IS SO
CONFUSING AND CRAZY, IT IS A MESS.
I FIND MYSELF ASSESSING TEACHERS IN A VERY DIFFERENT
WAY ONCE YOU'RE OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.
I AM CURIOUS, LET ME START WITH YOU, WE HAVE A DEBATE IN
THIS STATE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, ABOUT GRADING TEACHERS AND
GRADING SCHOOLS. WE ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH
GRADES, SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO KIND OF DO IT THAT WAY.
DO YOU THINK THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR TEACHERS, TO
GRADE TEACHERS AS WELL IN THEIR PERFORMANCE WITH
STUDENTS. >> I THINK IT IS BECAUSE A
TEACHER HAS TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE STUDENTS AND WHERE THEY
WILL BE AND HOW THEY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE, SO IT IS
VERY IMPORTANT. >> JIMMY WHAT DO YOU THINK,
SHOULD TEACHERS BE GRADED? >> ABSOLUTELY.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A CERTAIN, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING,
THERE IS A CERTAIN LEVEL, YOU KNOW, CAN'T BE GRADED.
IT IS NOT LIKE ABOUT WHO IS PASSING YOUR CLASS, BUT
HONESTLY I HAVE NOTICED THE BIGGEST THING ABOUT TEACHERS,
THAT IS LIKE THEY HAVE TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR
SUBJECT. LIKE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE HAD A
THEATER TEACHER WHO IS ALL EVERYWHERE AND I HAVE HAD
ENGLISH TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, BUELLER, BUELLER, BUELLER, YOU
KNOW. >> RIGHT.
TEACHERS DO FEEL PUT OUT ABOUT THIS.
THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE UNDER THE GUN A LITTLE BIT AND
PERHAPS HAVING THAT EXTRA CONVERSATION LIKE YOU
MENTIONED ABOUT YOUR BAND INSTRUCTOR, HOW DO YOU GRADE
FOR THAT? THERE IS SOMEBODY THAT CARES
ABOUT THE STUDENTS, HOW DO YOU GRADE?
IT IS INTERESTING TO CONSIDER THAT.
>> I THINK POSSIBLY, LIKE, WE DO IT IN NMSU.
LIKE EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE GET AN EVALUATION WHERE WE GET
TO GRADE THE TEACHER AND I THINK THAT, LIKE, IF THERE WAS
MORE OF THAT IN HIGH SCHOOL, THAT MIGHT HELP, YOU KNOW.
BECAUSE HONESTLY THE BEST TEACHERS ARE THE ONES THAT THE
STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, ARE INTO. >> THAT HELPS YOU TO KNOW WHAT
YOU NEED TO WORK ON, BECAUSE NO ONE IS PERFECT.
>> AT SOME POINT IT HAS TO COME FROM INSIDE AND IT IS ALL
DOWN TO EACH ONE OF US AS INDIVIDUALS TO DRIVE THROUGH
SOMETHING. WHAT WAS IT FOR YOU?
WHAT DROVE YOU? >> JUST THE DESIRE TO BE
SOMEONE IN LIFE AND JUST IMPACT STUDENTS.
JUST FAITH THAT IT WOULD COME OUT GOOD.
>> THANK YOU GUYS FOR DOING THIS, HONESTLY.
WHEN I SAY DOING THIS, I MEAN PARTICIPATING IN ERIN'S FILM
BECAUSE THAT WAS A VERY BRAVE THING YOU GUYS DID.
THANK YOU FOR COMING UP TO ALBUQUERQUE AND TALKING ABOUT
THIS. >> ABSOLUTELY.
ERIN HUDSON, THANK YOU, "OUR TIME IS NOW."
A GREAT DOCUMENTARY AND I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE A
GREAT THING FOR NEW MEXICO. I REALLY WANT EVERYBODY TO
WATCH IT. THANKS FOR COMING DOWN.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH, APPRECIATE IT.