OPB has premiered a new documentary that follows a group of Oregon students as they navigate the challenges of high school and anticipate the looming difficulties of life beyond school.
“Class of 2025: Junior Year” explores how some students – in a critical year of high school – wrestle with catching up on credits, changes in their home situations and realizing that childhood dreams may look different as adults. They do this while learning some important life lessons: from the consequences of disengaging from school to learning from their parents’ past struggles.
The documentary is available to watch now at opb.org/classof2025, on YouTube or the PBS App. It will also air on OPB TV Monday, September 23 at 9 p.m.
It is part of OPB’s long running “Class of 2025″ multimedia reporting series, which began in 2012. The project tracks the state of Oregon’s aspirational goal that starting with the Class of 2025, all students would complete high school and earn diplomas or the equivalent. The documentary series explores a fundamental question facing society and public education: why do some students stay on track to graduate, while others do not – and why is it so difficult for Oregon to reach its 100% graduation goal?
Over the last 12 years, OPB has been following a group of 27 students who started together at Earl Boyles Elementary School in the David Douglas School District in Southeast Portland. OPB reporters have been embedded with the students, documenting their educational journey and tracking their real-life successes and setbacks along the way.
Last spring, the students completed their junior year. It was challenging for many of them. The teens have been impacted by the pandemic and now grapple with big questions around college, career and the fast approach of adulthood. At the same time, students face high expectations from their families to succeed.
“Class of 2025: Junior Year” examines the teens’ real-life challenges: Some students had problems at school that made them less inclined to show up, others felt the need for a mental break or dealt with changes at home.
Made possible by the generous support of OPB members, the documentary is directed and produced by Kate McMahon and reported by OPB education journalist Elizabeth Miller. It was co-produced and edited by Dan Evans. Emily Hamilton and Sarah Nairalez provided help with graphics and archive video. The senior producer and creator of the Class of 2025 project is Rob Manning.
More information about OPB’s “Class of 2025″ multimedia series – including news reporting, student profiles, podcast episodes, videos and photos – is available at opb.org.
