(hallway noise)
Okay, settle down everyone.
Settle down and take out your homework from last n ight.
Sophia, you're late again.
I'm sorry,
I've been having a hard time getting to school because my
Hey, stop cheating.
I'm not cheating.
Then why are you looking at my paper?
Samantha, Ashley, what is going on?
She's copying off my homework to finish hers.
I am not.
I just wanted to see if you got the second question right.
Everyone pass up your homework right now.
And Sophia we'll deal with your lateness later.
And you two, we'll take up your cheating later as well.
Right now, open your books to chapter nine
and Sophia will you please read the introduction?
I... I... I don't have my book.
Now you don't even have your book.
What is wrong with you?
Can you do anything right anymore?
What is that smell?
Is that you?
Ms. Williams, can I move?
She smells.
No.
Class, please work on your review questions for chapter nine
and Sophia, I wanna see you in the hall
for a minute right now.
[Narrator] Sophia wants to do well like the other kids
but she has a dark secret.
What's going on?
You used to be one of my best students.
You are on track to get a scholarship from state
and now I don't even know if you're gonna pass this class.
You've been late multiple times,
you haven't been turning in your homework and you're a mess.
Do you even care about doing well anymore?
Yes, I do.
Then do you have your homework assignment for today?
No, I wasn't able to do it.
Obviously you don't care anymore.
You're a mess, I can't even look at you.
I'm so frustrated.
It's not my fault.
My parents they're-
Oh no, don't you blame this on your parents.
This is your fault, not theirs.
I need to have a parent teacher conference with them.
No, no.
Yes, Vice Principal Bennett.
I don't know which one of those two were cheating
but it's definitely a problem.
Okay, I'll send them both to see you and Principal Jordan
right away.
I don't need this anymore.
(Outdoor sounds)
You understand we take allegations of cheating
very seriously here.
But I wasn't cheating, I swear.
I just wanted to see if Samantha got the same answer as me.
And what would you have done
if she had a different answer?
Would you have changed yours?
No, I would never do that.
Or maybe giving her your answer,
how do we know you both aren't cheating?
Why would I tell on her?
Can't you just move her?
Moving her won't fix the problem.
Why are you looking at her work at all?
Because she's smart.
She almost always has the right answer.
I see.
Well, I might have a solution.
You two are gonna work on a project together.
Why are you punishing me?
That's not fair.
You're going to have to do an oral report
and you both are going to have to participate
in the presentation.
Fine.
You'll let me know how it goes.
I will.
(upbeat music)
Hi dad.
I'm good.
Yeah, I'm just calling because I wanted to see
if that property manager job was still open?
Why?
Do you know someone who's looking?
Yeah, for me.
What?
Why honey?
Did you lose your job?
No, but I think I'm losing my mind and my patience.
I don't know if I can do this anymore.
It's not like what it used to be.
Oh honey, you don't have the required experience.
Being a teacher doesn't qualify you
to do property management or maintenance.
Come on, you know I'm a hard worker
and if I can learn this, I can learn just about anything.
Well yes, the job is still available if you're interested
but I really think you should stick it out
and imagine how fulfilling it will be
when you're able to help other kids again.
I know.
Maybe you're right.
Ms. Williams.
Hello.
Mr. and Mrs. Simmons,
thank you for coming in on such short notice.
Of course, we wanna know how to help Sophia.
Follow me.
To say I've noticed a change in Sophia
in the last month or so would be an understatement.
She's like a completely different student
than the one who started the school year.
Before you go on, you need to understand the situation.
Alright.
I lost my job working maintenance when the mall closed.
I haven't been able to find work.
I offered to trade maintenance work in my building for rent,
but they weren't interested.
We had to sell our car to make ends meet
so Sophia's had to walk to school every day.
We had to sell our computer
so she hasn't been able to do her schoolwork at home.
I see
She must've sold her school books
because she came home with food one day.
We would never want her to do that.
She's very proud.
Like someone else I know.
I had no idea.
She didn't tell me any of that.
Well, now that we know,
we're gonna do everything that we can.
Okay, I'll see what I can do also.
You're a mess, I can't even look at you.
I'm so frustrated.
(Outdoor sounds)
Hello.
Hi.
Thanks for the help today with Ashley and Samantha,
they've already started working on their presentation.
I'm happy to help.
Listen, do we still have last year school books
and the laptops from the old computer lab?
We sure do.
I've got a student in need.
Would it be possible to...
Absolutely.
Great.
Thank you.
I'll stop by the office right now.
I hope it goes well.
Hello, I'm trying to find the Simmons' apartment.
Are they here?
[Man] No, they were evicted a while ago.
You don't have a forwarding address, do you?
[Man] I don't know,
they must be somewhere around here anyway.
They come by about every other day to pick up their mail.
Nothing but past due credit cards.
Sophia?
Ms. Williams!
[Narrator] Sophia is worried her teacher
will find out the secret she has been keeping.
I stopped by to give you a gift
but they said you had moved.
Are you still in the neighborhood?
Kinda.
Sophia, is your family in a tent?
Why didn't you say something?
I'm so sorry I said those things to you.
I had no idea.
I tried to tell you, but.
I didn't let you.
I have an idea.
Dad, it's me again.
I've been thinking about that job.
Could you meet me somewhere to talk about it?
Sure, I'll be right there.
This looks like it.
Where should I be going anyway?
Here he is now.
Dad, we're over this way.
This is my dad Ben.
Dad this is Mr. and Mrs. Simmons.
Luke.
And I'm Lisa.
Luke, hello Lisa.
Nice to meet you.
He's a parent of a student of mine
and he's looking for work.
He has a ton of building maintenance experience.
Oh, I see.
How about property management?
Do you know anything about that?
Actually, that was my job title at the mall
but I mostly did building maintenance!
That's fantastic.
I've got an opening at a 76 unit apartment complex.
It's a great job and it includes a two bedroom apartment.
Really?
That sounds perfect.
[Narrator] After Sophia and her family
moved into the new apartment,
she was able to focus again on her schoolwork
because she didn't wanna lose the scholarship.
Okay class, first I received the list of the students
who made the honor roll.
Would you like to hear it?
I thought you might.
The first one on the list is... Ana Lowry.
Next is... Julie Waters.
(claps)
And finally the last recipient of the honor roll is
Sophia Simmons.
(claps)
[Narrator] Don't assume people are failing
because they don't care.
In this video, Ms. Williams found out
that Sophia was battling factors beyond her control.
I hope you liked this video and if you did
make sure to subscribe for more content.
See you soon.
(celebration)