Growing Up

This is a transcript of the film, included for screen readers and the visually impaired.

[Sound of children playing outside.]

[Baseball bat hits baseball.]

I'm Chase Russo and I'm twelve. My favorite sport is baseball.

My dad went in to the hospital

June 26 of 2007

because he needed to get a kidney transplant.

[Coach: Let's go hits on three.]

[Team: One, two, three. Hit!]

I knew it would be a good decision to tell him because I knew it would help.

I knew it wouldn't be a burden because he innately knows the responsibilities

he has as an older sibling.

When my dad was in the hospital I helped my mom out by keeping the kids together

so she could focus on my dad.

He was my rock.

Chase was always there. He always knew to hug me.

He always knew what I was feeling no matter what.

And, and I, You know what. He's so strong.

He's always been such a strong kid

that I would really, I would go to him and we would talk.

I felt pretty sad but I also felt I had a big job to do so

I had to comfort them

and make sure everything was OK.

So far in my twelve years I've learned a lot about

good decisions and how to handle different situations

by learning from tough situations.

When he makes choices, I'm always amazed they're always the right ones

and he teaches me everyday something remarkable.

We're a different family because of this.

Like, everyone always says good things come from crazy things like that.

and something really did, something good came from this.

It's made us a stronger family.

I like to draw houses, flowers and buildings.

My name is Siearra and I'm six years old. I'll be seven.

I love taking care of my brother.

I feed him and I play with him.

and I make him fall asleep.

Searra is very special.

She is a wonderful child.

She's a great help

and I need to raise her so she can take care of herself someday.

This world is very difficult to live in

so she has to know these are things you "have to" do

versus things you ìwant toî do.

"Have to" comes first because that's responsibility.

I think family's important because

if you are nice and kind

people do things for you.

And they feel like they can trust you

and they feel happy.

[Laughter.]

Good Job!

I'm an actor, a director,

a singer.

My name is Jenna Gabriel.

I'm twenty years old and I'm the co-founder of an organization.

that works with special needs children.

[You guys are up next. Who wants to go first?]

On Saturday mornings we play baseball for two hours.

[Run, run, run, run, run!]

What it's about is making sure every kid who steps on the field

gets the chance to feel important

and that they get to have fun

and that they get to feel like they're great

at whatever it is that they are doing.

When we got to the Spring,

I made the decision that it would probably be for the interest

of the organization and the kids to forego auditioning.

So I actually didn't audition for anything this semester.

It was more important for me to be a part of this

than to continue on with acting.

Angelica and Jenna are just beautiful, exciting,

playful people

who have just moved all of us

to have this really great time together.

I hope to continue to perform,

I hope to continue to do the other things that I love,

but this makes me happy

and I feel fulfilled doing it

and I know I making other people feel the same way.

We're just dazzled by the amount of enthusiasm

of the students who are here.

It's like an incredible gift to be able to come here and have all of this

energy and acceptance of our kids.

Being responsible has to do with being aware of the decisions you are making

and then the repercussions they have on the people around you

This is probably the most important thing I've ever done

and that I feel the best on those Saturday mornings

when the game ends and I'm covered in mud and I'm saying goodbye

to a ton of kids.

[Vivian! Vivian!]

that's probably happier than I've ever been at a curtain call.

My name is Carlos Alfonso I am eighteen years old from Venezuela.

He came straight from a whole other country. He didn't know English

and within a matter of like months he learned English.

In a matter of months he learned how to excel in math,

engineering, science, social studies.

It's important for me to go to college

because I would be able to support my family economically.

It's a lot of work for my mother to have two jobs and she's doing it for us.

Carlos is very helpful.

He works with our younger group that we have and sets an example for them.

And he talks to them about what it's like to actually go to college

and how to actually be a prospective senior

to graduate with honors.

My mother's the one who first give me the opportunity to come to the United States

And since she gave me that opportunity I want to prove to her

that she did the right thing that she's doing something good

I think it's very important to me to help my family

because I have received a lot from them

and I would think I can never repay them

but I can at least try.