[Bell Rings] - My main goal is to get into a UC.

- Wow!

- Wow!

Good job!

- [laughs] My number one school, Howard University.

- Howard University.

- We always joke about, like, going to Howard together and being roommates and everything.

- I run the 400, the 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles.

I'm really going to do something this season.

Make everybody know who I am and what I do on the track.

[crowd cheering] - We still get to play football.

But they ruled out indoor sports like basketball.

- Yeah, we really need this season, to be honest.

- I don't know.

I'm hoping we can actually get a season, and then I can impress some scouts and get some scholarships.

Have to.

Have to play this season.

- Hell yeah.

- Once you're out of high school, you don't have another chance.

[serene music] ♪ ♪ - So these are the schools that I got into.

- A lot of students are getting accepted into schools, which I'm so happy about.

- UC Santa Cruz.

- Xavier offered me a scholarship.

- I've heard back from three schools so far-- Sac State, CSU LA, and CSU Dominguez Hills.

- My first email was for Sacramento State.

I yelled, "Ma," because I was really excited.

It was my first college that I got accepted to.

- "Dear Javonte, it is with great pleasure we write "to inform you that you have been selected "for conditional admission to California State University East Bay."

- "Congratulations.

"I am pleased to inform you that you've been admitted to San Jose State University for the Fall 2021 term."

- Maybe, like, a week or two afterwards, I checked my email, and the name of the email is "UCLA Admissions."

So I was like, oh!

But then it's like, "Oh, check out the campus."

I'm like, oh.

So yeah.

- Sacramento State welcoming me to their Hornet family.

And--yeah.

You know, I'm happy about it.

But honestly, it's not the schools that I really want to go to.

Yeah.

It's good that it's there, but my heart is really set on leaving to go to Howard.

- Morehouse, they never sent me any email information about, like, if I got in or not.

- I checked my email, like, every three hours, especially for UC Santa Cruz.

It's top of my list.

- I checked, like, my spam and my junk and my regular emails.

I checked all of it.

- I just want to hear back from all the schools that I've applied to before I make any decisions.

- I'm just waiting for USC and Howard.

So yeah.

- What do they say?

Expect the best, prepare for the worst?

That's what we're going to do.

So yay.

[chuckles] [upbeat music] ♪ ♪ - ♪ Work all day till my feet get sore ♪ ♪ Keep on working till the whistle blow ♪ ♪ Oh, when the nighttime come ♪ ♪ It's on when the nighttime come ♪ ♪ Wear this mask on my face all day ♪ ♪ Smiling like I'm loving doing what you say ♪ ♪ Oh, till the nighttime come ♪ ♪ It's on when the nighttime come ♪ ♪ Wear this mask on my face all day ♪ ♪ Smiling like I'm loving doing what you say ♪ ♪ Oh, till the nighttime come ♪ ♪ It's on when the nighttime come ♪ ♪ It ain't really over, it has just begun ♪ ♪ We going to be all right when the nighttime come ♪ ♪ Tired of trying to figure what I might become ♪ ♪ I just want to sing my song when the nighttime come ♪ [school bell rings] - Like, a week and a half ago, our AD came to the football practice and told us that we were cleared for indoor sports like volleyball and basketball and stuff like that.

So that's good news.

- You are our last of the Mohicans.

[laughs] There you go.

You know what to do.

300th time.

[laughs] - Basketball starts next week.

That's what I've been waiting for.

- We all know that last year was a pretty hard year for everyone, and bringing back sports just gave a sense of hope in a way.

I definitely think it's a little crazy how all these sports are back-- like, literally, all the sports are back-- but we're not in school.

[light music] - Freedom, Liberty, Heritage, and Pittsburg is going back with a hybrid system.

And we're not-- we don't get that.

Like, they're getting their prom and all that.

We're not getting none of that.

The email literally said, like, we have ruled you guys out for school.

Like, basically like that, but in, like, bigger words.

♪ ♪ They just--they ruled us out.

They came to a vote and ruled us out, so we don't have all that.

- It is time for the vote to remain in distance learning for the remainder of the school year.

- Yes.

- Yes.

- Yes.

- Yes.

- Yes.

- Motion carries, 5-0.

- But they didn't have no reason.

They just had a vote, and the vote wasn't good enough.

I've been in school all this time to have a senior year, be a senior on campus and stuff.

Like, that's what you want to do.

But I didn't-- I don't get to do that.

[somber music] - My whole senior year was taken from me.

Like, with the class of 2020, they had a couple of months, you know, Homecoming, that stuff.

I had none of that.

None of it.

Everything was taken away.

- Graduation is the most important thing that everyone looks forward to.

♪ ♪ It's like, none-- well, I don't want to say it's not gonna happen, but just realistically, it's like, would that actually happen?

- Is it gonna be online?

Is it gonna be in person?

I don't know.

- Hope for just something to happen.

Some sort of way to make us happy.

You know, we've been in school for this long, waiting for this moment.

Walk across the stage.

They're calling your name.

Your family and friends cheering for you.

You just want that, and it's sad, because let's be realistic.

We're probably not gonna get it.

[keyboard clacking] [texts chime] - This month and next month are gonna be big months of, like, hearing back from schools.

And so I'm really excited about that, so they can make that decision by May 1st.

So we're also gonna do a "making a college decision" workshop.

Also, like, looking at community college applications for students who are looking at community college as an option.

Hello, everybody.

- Hey.

- Javonte!

- Hey, Mr. Cam.

- What's up, Ebei?

- Hey, Mr. Cam.

- I love that Emily is with us.

What's going on, Emily?

- Hello.

- Good to see you, virtually.

See your name.

We missed you.

- Missed you guys too.

- I actually have a couple of congratulations in order.

Very first off, congratulations to all of my folks who have gotten into schools or are hearing back from schools.

Super happy for y'all.

Right?

Big shout-out.

Shout your people out in the chat right now.

Big shout-out to y'all.

OK?

Congratulations.

[computer chiming] So I'm on the same route as you.

So this whole presentation today, we're going through it together, because I'm trying to make my decision too.

I'm, like, in the middle of it right now, so I'm with y'all.

But thank y'all.

So we're going to be talking about how to make a college decision, like I said.

Should I go to any of these universities, or should I go to a community college first?

And I know that's a thought that a lot of you are having, especially in COVID times.

[tense music] - It definitely will be between East Bay and community college.

The two years are gonna be the same everywhere.

That's my main thing.

Like, if it was on campus, I would definitely want to leave and go, because, like, you're getting the college experience.

If school is gonna be online anyway, it's like, why, like, waste the money?

- So this isn't to say I know where I'm gonna choose, but this pros and cons list can kind of help me weigh out my options.

This is a school that you're gonna spend two, three, four years of your life, right?

It's not an easy decision to make.

But at the end of the day, I want to be comfortable with my decision.

I want to be able to defend why I'm going to the school I'm going to.

So that is very important for y'all to also understand, is that this is very much a process of, you know, picking the best school for you and feeling good about the place that you're gonna go.

Please know what's really important is, y'all are superstars.

And the schools that y'all are hearing from, getting accepted to, even waitlisted to, it would be a privilege for them to have you.

Y'all are the prize here, so please take that into account when making this decision as well.

Other than that, for my folks who got to go, much love.

Take care of yourselves.

- Bye, Mr. Cam.

[indistinct chatter] - Have a good day.

- [laughs] Now all y'all want to talk at the same time?

[laughter] - Y'all have a good day.

- Bye, y'all.

Have a good week.

- You too.

[indistinct chatter] - Yeah, I just feel good.

[upbeat music] We haven't been able to do nothing.

Everybody been at home.

♪ ♪ I mean, you're with your family, but, like, you're not with your friends.

- We're just trying to find our form, get back to running again.

Come on over here.

- It's pretty nice, honestly, 'cause, like, just-- just being there.

- ♪ I'm singing in the rain ♪ ♪ What a glorious-- ♪ Who put these rocks on my track?

All right, kid.

Go.

Easy.

- You want to be a good team?

We got to work out all these kinks.

Our first game is Tuesday.

OK?

Let's do it right.

- Come on!

[indistinct shouting] - We had to work through all that--all that adversity.

- Where's the help?

Get in there!

- Hey!

- Encourage each other to get through everything that we have at home, in school, and all that.

- Hey!

- [laughs] [applause] - Hand swing, hand swing.

Go.

Good, good, good, good.

- [sighs] Yeah.

- Good swing in her hands.

- It was--it was pretty-- I don't want to say it was bad, but like, I didn't think that I was that out of shape.

But, like-- [groans] I mean, I guess, yeah.

- OK, Ebei.

You OK?

All right.

- Thanks, Coach Green.

- You got it, Ebei.

I'll see you tomorrow.

- See you tomorrow.

- DV on me.

DV on three.

One, two, three.

all: DV!

[train horn blaring] [birds chirping] - So far, I got accepted into Cal State LA, San Francisco State, Sac State, and I'm still waiting on UC Santa Cruz, UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego.

But, like, Santa Cruz, the campus is like a whole forest.

And since, like, the past year or two, I've been more active.

I think I would enjoy the campus a lot more.

Usually, like-- usually, like, whenever I get a notification from my email, I get really anxious.

So then I saw UC Santa Cruz, and I was like-- [soft dramatic music] So then I opened it, and it said I got admitted, and I got really excited.

Immediately, I yelled down from my room, "Ma!"

And she's, like, yelling me back like, "What?"

So I ran down, showed her my application.

She was really excited for me.

- Back in the Philippines, I always remember my mom told me, even though we're not rich, you know, just give me your diploma, and that's the thing that we're so proud.

- Me and my family, we have our own group chat on iMessage, and I posted it on there.

And then all my cousins, they've already went through all of it, so then they're also giving me a lot of tips and advice.

Like, especially since, like, I didn't really think I was going to get into a UC.

So that was, like, exciting for me.

I was so nervous.

I don't think they told me how much it's gonna cost, but they have sent me some stuff about financial aid.

FAFSA hasn't really given me, like, the amount of financial aid I'm going to get.

I know, like, the UCs are definitely gonna be a lot more expensive.

- That's why we apply for FAFSA.

We're trying to look for a lot of alternative help so his dream will come true.

Because it's too expensive.

- It's mainly, let's apply and figure it out later.

So it's got me anxious too.

♪ ♪ [soft music] ♪ ♪ - Kadynce texted me the week of Howard's decisions coming out, and she was, like, super excited.

We were disappointed that she didn't get into Spelman, but we were really looking forward to Howard.

And I was like, whenever they email you, don't look.

Let's look together.

Like, let's get on a video chat.

[text chimes] ♪ ♪ [somber music] This is absolutely the toughest part of my job.

♪ ♪ After working with these students for months, and these particular students for a couple of years, it's always tough.

But I really try and tell students, like, look at all the great opportunities you do have, but also look at how much that experience made you grow.

♪ ♪ [computer chimes] Hello.

- Hi, Mr. Cam.

- Hi, Ebei.

How are you?

What's up?

What's going on?

How's track and cheer and all that good stuff?

- I'm doing good.

You know, a little bit stressed, but yeah, I'm happy to be busy again.

Like, you know, have stuff to do, because before, I was just like, this is not normal for me just to be at home.

- How do you feel about the track season?

Do you feel like you're gonna be competitive?

- Mm... [laughs] It's looking a little bit rough, just the fact that we have our first track meet next week, I think.

- Uh-huh.

- I'm still not in fighting form, so... - Yeah.

Has practice and stuff been rough?

- Um, yeah.

Yeah, it's been pretty bad, but we'll get there eventually.

- What's up with college stuff?

Let's talk about it.

- Uh... - [chuckles] - I mean, I definitely did get, you know, rejected from a lot more schools than I got in.

But it's OK, because, you know, a lot of those schools I didn't want to go to in the first place.

- Yeah, you didn't need them.

- But I did-- I didn't get into Howard.

- You did or did not?

- I did not.

- OK.

I don't know what the heck-- - Yeah, a lot of people didn't get in.

- I know.

Even people with, like, 3.9s got waitlisted.

- Who knows?

- Yeah, I'm sorry.

After telling them, like, this--you know, do this, and this will help you, and, you know, working on essays and late nights with students and all of those things, it's always tough.

A lot of denials came that I kind of wasn't expecting, and... [sighs] I was pretty surprised.

- Our kids had a tough year in terms of getting admission.

- This year, the UCs saw record applications.

After years of debate over equity and access, a key college admissions predictor, standardized tests, gone.

- Quite a few kids put on waiting lists that usually would not be.

And these are outstanding kids with outstanding GPAs and leadership skills.

- During the pandemic, since test scores no longer stood as a barrier to entry, more students felt emboldened to apply.

- What this means is, the more the students apply, the more challenging it is for admissions.

And that's what trends kind of look like for 2021 and beyond.

♪ ♪ - I feel like that was part of the reason why I didn't get into Howard-- because so many students applied.

So yeah.

- Hopefully, the universities and colleges are looking at this process again to say, how are we picking the best kids?

Who's not in that should be in?

But, you know, if you run a race that you don't know how to win, how do you win?

- I don't know.

I think that there is an injustice, especially, like, with a lot of the bigger schools.

Everybody thinks that, you know, big school, big school, better education, you know.

But that's not always the case, so... - What about finances at these different schools?

- Whatever school gives me the most financial aid is, honestly, where I'm going to be headed.

So... and if not San Jose State, then CSU LA.

- I'm proud of you.

Be happy for yourself.

Speaking from experience as someone who was denied from every UC when I applied out of high school, those things don't validate you.

You know, they don't make-- they don't make Ebei Ebei.

You're the prize at the end of the day, not the school.

You're going to college next year, so that's really dope.

So remember that and be proud of yourself.

- Thank you, Mr. Cam.

I really do appreciate that.

- Good luck on your first track meet coming up.

Work hard.

- Bye, Mr. Cam.

- Bye.

Have a good day.

[upbeat music] - One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

- ♪ Play the zone when I work out ♪ ♪ I stay at home when I work out ♪ ♪ Don't call my phone 'cause I'm in the zone ♪ - Was Ebei over at track?

- Honestly, I don't want to cheer anymore, because I didn't get into Howard.

[soft music] Especially after I didn't get into Howard.

But you just got to deal with it, shake the feeling.

Forget Howard.

It's bye.

- Do not mark jumps.

Do this.

Got it?

So let's keep going.

- But I'm excited for basketball season.

- Four, five, six, seven, eight.

- ♪ Play the zone when I work out ♪ - Not excited, but looking forward to it.

- One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

- I've just been all over the place.

- Good practice, guys.

- I am still waiting to hear from a couple of schools, but then Mr. Cam told me it's not in my best interest to wait to hear on those schools rather than to just go ahead and make my decision now.

So yeah.

- Enjoy your weekend!

- Friday!

- Bye, guys!

- Yeah!

- Yes.

Good job today!

[indistinct chatter] - As for our basketball team, we 'bout champs.

Can't say anything about Deer Valley's basketball team.

- If any one of the sports team was the best, it was by far the basketball team.

Yeah, we had a whole winning streak.

- Before the pandemic, we won the league championship for boys varsity basketball, after such a long time.

[cheers and applause] - We were 9 and 0 going into our last conference game, and so we had a chance to make history.

No Deer Valley team has ever gone undefeated throughout the league, and we were able to win conference.

- This was the first time that we're BVAL champs in, about, I want to say, at least five years, maybe even more than that.

So it was a really big deal for us.

- So that just adds on to the pressure of this year.

- You got to go again.

♪ ♪ - Sports are, like, very important to me.

It's, like, my main motivation to, like, keep going.

I went to Freedom my sophomore year, and then I transferred from there to DV because of their basketball.

I thought I had a better opportunity at DV.

- DV on three.

- One, two, three.

all: DV!

- He bounced around when he started high school because of basketball.

At that time, it did benefit him.

- My junior year was, like, one of the better years, and then this year would have been one of the better years for sure.

But everything got canceled.

- Nobody was prepared for COVID-19.

And to just have to stop everything... - It's just like, you know, it was on and it was gone.

- Some kids took the initiative to never stop working out, so they were at home in their garages or in their driveways with their ball, and they were getting ready.

And most of the kids didn't.

[tense music] So I got juniors and seniors who have come back who are out of shape and who haven't done enough to keep their endurance.

That's been the thing that's been most challenging to me, is just trying to get them back in the mindset of doing things the right way.

But with the right amount of hard work, anything's possible.

[rock music] - ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ ♪ - That plugs in over here.

♪ ♪ [cheers and applause] - The first thing that stood out to me about Ahmad, the first time I ever saw him play, was, he plays much bigger than his size.

Because he's very small in stature-- about 5'6", 130.

But he plays as if he's 6'3", you know, 220.

He just has that-- that swagger and that presence when he plays.

He's the toughest kid on the floor.

[indistinct chatter] We're the only team that didn't have a preseason.

Our district didn't allow us in the gym until just over a week ago.

Due to all of the obstacles that we've had to go through just to get to this point to be able to play ten games, it was a very difficult thing.

- Where is Kadynce?

Girls, 29 seconds.

- And on top of that, because we were conference champions last year, now a target's on our back.

So everybody's looking to beat us.

- Let's go.

- DV on 3.

One, two, three.

all: DV!

[dramatic music] ♪ ♪ [indistinct yelling] - Come on!

Yeah!

[cheering] - One, two!

♪ ♪ - You got it once.

You were wide open.

You were so wide open, you didn't even know you were wide open, right?

What I don't like is the amount of offensive rebounds they're getting that's leading to shots.

Let's go.

DV, one, two, three.

all: DV!

♪ ♪ - I mean, this season doesn't feel like a season.

It's hard to feel like a season when we didn't start practice until April 17th... [cheers and applause] And our first game was April 27th.

[indistinct shouting] Things are magnified when other schools have been practicing since the beginning of March and have 16 games, where we only get 10.

♪ ♪ [cheers and applause] Our season starts off with us having to play catchup when everybody else is already in midseason form.

♪ ♪ [cheering] - Hands up!

Hands up, hands up!

- We're fighting an uphill battle here.

For some of them, it's a lot bigger than basketball.

♪ ♪ - ♪ Ready for it all ♪ ♪ I'm ready for what awaits ♪ ♪ If you looking for the best ♪ ♪ You came to the right place ♪ ♪ We bought it, we bought it ♪ ♪ We bought it, we bought it ♪ [cheers and applause] - We won the game by 1, but it was really a loss in my book.

We should have beat them by more points than that.

It was a bad game.

- I think of everything that's been going on in the world, it can be very depressing and very pessimistic.

But, you know, we got to take our wins where we can.

- You can leave your mask off.

You're fine.

- Ready for one?

- Possibly.

You have one in Brentwood.

Let's see.

It was just, like, two weeks ago.

I was on FaceTime with a male friend, just my friend.

[chuckles] Over here?

- Yes.

- I guess I was talking loud, and my dad, like, barged in, and he saw I was on FaceTime with my friend.

And he was like, "Are you gay?"

And I was like, "Yes."

I don't know if I want-- I don't know if I want something sweet, or do I want coffee?

- What size you want?

- And then he looked at me and he got mad, and then just gave me some big spiel, just, why he doesn't support it and just-- Just the anger.

- Thank you.

- Thank you guys.

- All right.

Enjoy your day.

- He finally, like, sat down.

He actually thought about it.

And then, he actually came to me with just saying, like, he was raised in different times, so it's all new to him.

That first week, literally, it was just, like, the hardest week ever.

[somber music] ♪ ♪ To see, like, younger pictures of me actually, like, spending time with my dad... Just to look through 'em and just be like, dang, that's back when everything was like-- what's the word?

Back when everything was-- like, I don't know, the good-- a lot of people say "the good old days," but that's dumb.

But, I mean, we talked it out, and he apologized, kind of.

He said--he was like, "It's your life, and you can live it."

Even though I love my parents, I feel like I've outgrown it.

I finally realized that it was time for me just to, like, kind of-- like, I gotta go.

♪ ♪ [indistinct chatter] [cheers and applause] - First track meet of the season.

- Make a point.

Let's go.

Let's do this.

- Track season usually starts in January, so it's kind of a little bit weird, because by this time, we'd be wrapping up.

We'd be on our way to NCS and stuff like that by now.

- There won't be any invitationals.

We might go to something local, but the idea of traveling like we did last year is just not gonna be available for us.

- We raced against Heritage today.

- Right on, kids.

Right on.

[indistinct chatter] - And Heritage usually has a pretty big team.

Like, they come out with, like, 150 athletes, compared to us, who have, like, 50.

We don't even have 50 this year.

You never know how you're gonna race, coming into a track meet.

But, like, the fact that I've had, like, very little preparation...

I'm nervous.

[pop gun fires] [cheering] [dramatic music] ♪ ♪ - Stay in your lane, stay in your lane, stay in your lane!

- No.

No, no, no.

[breathing heavily] Like, going into the 100 hurdles, I was, like, real tense, real, like, scared of what was gonna happen.

Like, my biggest thing I was thinking of was just not falling, but-- Sir, I'm finna go and cry in my car real quick.

- We good?

[tense music] ♪ ♪ - Nobody really likes 300s.

I don't really like 300s.

But yeah, I don't know.

We'll see.

- Ebei's in lane 5.

- On your marks.

Set.

[pop gun fires] - ♪ I've been on a spree ♪ ♪ No one's stopping me ♪ ♪ No one has a chance ♪ ♪ No one has a chance ♪ ♪ Going for the crown ♪ - Come on, Ebei.

- ♪ I'ma shut it down ♪ ♪ This is what I planned ♪ - This is the fastest kid today.

Here she comes.

Go, go, go, go, go!

[cheering] - Come on!

Faster!

Yeah!

♪ ♪ [cheers and applause] - [breathing heavily] - Attagirl.

Good job.

Good race!

Good race!

- I was actually extremely nervous before.

Good job.

- Good job.

- But, like, I got over, so I'm good.

- Hey, DV.

Let's get into the news.

Here's some good news.

Graduation will be in person this year.

- [screams] - Wow!

- Seniors will be able to receive their diploma in the Wolverine Stadium early on June 18th.

- I'm so excited!

- I think that nobody expected us to be able to have in-person graduation.

That alone brought tears to some people's faces.

- I'll be graduating June 18th, starting at 9:00 AM.

I'm very happy.

- We got the messages, and everybody was, like, bouncing off the walls.

They were sending text messages, posting on social media like, you guys seen this?

- I'm really happy that they're getting, like, a real graduation.

- They are so excited.

I mean, every kid I talk to about cap and gown is like, when do I pick it up?

How is this happening?

- Because we haven't been able to do nothing.

Everybody been at home.

[cheering] - I'm super excited to celebrate with them in person.

- This is huge.

Huge, huge for our families and our students.

- This graduation is going to be insane.

- Because we really didn't think it was gonna happen.

- So I'm excited.

I'm ready for it.

- Hopefully, things start to get better.

- I'm not really a chocolate chip person, so... - So why are we making chocolate chip cookies?

[both laugh] - [humming] - What did you do in the morning?

- Um, I met with my counselor, like my school counselor, and then the therapist that the school provided.

She was the one that said that she would talk to Ms. Woodall to check if, like, I was gonna be able to graduate.

- And?

- They told me that-- I gotta put this to chill.

There's this thing that allows seniors to graduate with less credits because of, like, I guess, our circumstances.

So I would just have to pass my government class and my econ class that has been, like, hard.

- Mm-hmm.

- And I'll be able to graduate.

You see?

- So you got to get your stuff together.

- Well, yeah.

[laughs] I mean, there's, like, two months left of school, not even.

And as long as I do that work, I can graduate with my class.

- I mean, I know that it's not gonna go sideways, but I just want you to know, like, that whatever happens, that I'm there if you, like-- you know, for whatever you need.

[alarm rings] This one's a little burnt.

- It's your type of cookie, though.

- I like it.

[both laugh] [soft music] ♪ ♪ - Come on.

Come on.

- He is a meerkat.

- [laughs] - Isn't today the day you have to make a decision?

- Yeah.

- Well?

- So I actually already made it.

Yesterday, I officially-- - Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Yesterday?

- I had to-- it's because--OK, so I asked for more funding from UC Riverside.

- OK. - And they finally got back to me, and they gave me another year of funding.

- So wait, so you have five years from UC Riverside and five years from UCLA?

- Yeah.

- So what are you gonna do?

- [sighs] I don't know.

It's hard to pass up on the UCLA offer, but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna go to Riverside.

- Really?

- Yeah.

[upbeat music] - I'm so proud of you, Cam.

- Thank you.

- It's pretty amazing.

♪ ♪ - She's an older dog.

I'm 16, and we've had her since I was, like-- since I was 6, so 10 years.

I just found out that for all the UCs I applied to, I just got into Santa Cruz and then East Bay.

Got to get you some more.

Santa Cruz, I feel like the academics is good, but just, like, the life there, I feel like I wouldn't have fit in.

It's definitely what it is.

I've gotten waitlisted for Howard.

And for Morehouse, I haven't heard anything back from them, so I just assume I didn't get in.

East Bay was more of a fallback, so I would just go there just for, like, two years, and then I would transfer.

[somber music] ♪ ♪ - Do some tricks, man.

[laughter] - [laughs] I got my portraits the other day and wanted to look at them, so... yeah.

Those are all the bigger-size ones.

And then, you don't want any wallets.

You didn't look.

- I sure did.

- I talk to my auntie every day just about anything, because we're really close.

- Growing up, it's like one person I could talk to was Kady mom.

Like, that's something that I didn't have to worry about.

I can openly express how I am.

So I feel like since her mom was always there for me, I could be there for her.

I'm the one that she looks to for support.

I'm not here to judge you.

I can't judge.

[laughs] I can't judge anybody, because I know my road was a rocky one.

That's why I'm like, I can't judge anybody on their choices or decisions.

Especially when I feel like life is something, like, you got to learn by living it.

Like, once you're in that moment, you're gonna feel if it's right or if it's wrong.

So I'm just here for moral support.

[laughs] Just as long as she know if anything was to happen, I'ma always be there.

- This one's for me.

This one is, like, all me.

But-- - You know, her mom's not here.

- So this one's mine.

- You want your mom here, like, your senior year, see you walk the stage, go to prom, things like that.

I think that would be, like, the, um-- the hardest part.

- But with the extra proofs that they gave you, all the pictures that you took in your session.

- You got, like, one of every pose.

- Yep.

- The stress of figuring out what school you want to go to or not getting accepted into the school that you really wanted to go to, things like that, that would be hard.

- Just thinking about it so much and, like, spiraling into just hecka overthinking, and, like, you can commit to more than one school, then see which one you really want to go to.

And I was trying to look at my financial aid package.

And some schools like Sac State, they didn't have a fee.

But then you got Clark Atlanta, and theirs was, like, almost $500.

- You said 500?

- 500, a deposit to say you're going there.

- I would say, if you spend $500, your mind is already made up.

- Yeah.

Pretty much.

[both laugh] - In terms of next year.

- [laughs] Thanks.

[cheers and applause] - Let's go, Edgar!

Let's go!

- And running in lane 4, that's Sid Valdez of Antioch, your heat 2 winner here in the boys' 400 meters.

[upbeat music] - Today's BVAL championships.

My league finals.

Last track meet, I ran the 100 hurdle, and I think I did really bad.

[pop gun fires] Hold on.

Come on, Cal!

Come on, Cal!

OK.

Sorry.

On to the next chapter at this point... After my 300s-- - Running lane 3 from Freedom, Talia Brown.

Running in lane 2 from Deer Valley, Ms. Oiyemhonlan.

I would mess up the first name.

And I can't see all of you here.

- On your marks.

Set.

[pop gun fires] [yelling and cheering] [dramatic music] - Come on, Ebei!

- Keep going, work!

Keep going, work!

Keep going, work!

[cheering] ♪ ♪ - And that is Sabrina Nelson, your defending champion at 100 meters... - It's kind of over now, but I did place, so it felt good.

- Way to go, team.

Right on, kid.

Right on.

- Let's go, Jay!

- Get it!

Move!

- Hold on!

Hold on!

- Oh, it's neck and neck.

- Come on, Jay!

- She caught her.

That was neck and neck.

That's photo finish right there.

- Wow.

- I know she caught her.

Ooh!

- Hopefully, gonna walk on at San Jose State.

Coach Ed used to run at San Jose State.

That's his alma mater, so I'm definitely gonna be in contact with their coaches, see if I can work out with them during the summer and stuff like that.

[soft music] Tomorrow's senior night for basketball.

Yeah, I got a lot going on for that.

Senior send-off, graduation.

That's it.

High school's over.

It's kind of bittersweet, but... very ready to be done.

- Come on, Amanda!

- She's moving.

OK!

- Leaking oil again.

[laughter] - Breaking down.

♪ ♪ - Most parents will say, you know, they think the world of their kid.

I had this kid, and I knew when he was young that he was destined for greatness.

I just had a feeling.

But we had two deaths, and it was tough, because he tapped out.

You know, and I'm like, you can't say eff it in your senior year, you know?

♪ ♪ - He's been really struggling with that.

He's been struggling with school.

I'm kind of worried about him graduating at this point too.

- Like I said, it's just, it's life.

You can't control it.

You can't control death.

You can't control COVID.

We all are experiencing it together.

It was extremely tough for us.

But there's a lot of kids his age that are doing far worse and have far less support than he do.

I'm definitely proud of my kid.

I love him.

I think he knows it.

Do you know I love you?

Ahmad?

- What?

- You know I love you?

- [laughs] Yeah.

- OK, give me a hug.

[both laugh] - Yo.

[both laugh] [indistinct chatter] - They got names on them?

- Hello.

Good evening.

Tonight, it's our last basketball game.

So with our last basketball game, we went to honor our seniors.

So before I start introducing, I want to thank every athlete in this room.

This has been one of the toughest times to have a sport.

And especially for Deer Valley and the Antioch teams.

They did not get the preseason.

So they have come together as a team and fought hard these last few games.

From all the athletes out here, I am so very proud of you.

[cheers and applause] I'm gonna start with my seniors.

A couple of them did other sports and never complained.

We have a runner in track.

They have proved that they can do this in life.

My first senior is Kadynce Betancourt.

[cheering] [laughs] This is a hard one, but I'm gonna do it, Ebei.

This is Ebei Oiyemhonlan.

[cheering] And here are your 2021 senior basketball players.

Jaden Viega.

Amari Joyner.

Ahmad Woodard.

[upbeat music] ♪ ♪ Luis Acosta.

Give a last hand to all of them, and let's get on with the game.

- Exactly, exactly.

- Their best can't be that much better than our worst, right?

This is the last game.

- Last game.

- There's no reason to hold anything back.

Everybody suffering from little injuries.

You know, Devin's groin, Amari's toe, you know, Mikey's brain.

[laughter] Hey, it ain't no-- it ain't no reason-- it ain't no reason to hold nothing else back.

Right?

'Cause listen, we're the better team when we're having fun, OK?

But it has to be fun to do the hard work things.

It has to be fun to get back on defense and take a charge, OK?

It has to-- it has to be fun to dive on the floor for a loose ball and get everybody hyped.

OK?

Let's go.

- DV on me, DV on three.

One, two, three.

all: DV!

- Ahmad!

- Pump that Wolverine spirit up!

all: Pump that Wolverine spirit up!

- I wasn't really looking forward to this game, because there's no more games after, but-- all: Come on, Wolverines!

- It's our senior night, so we got to go out and win.

[cheering] [whistle blows] - ♪ Stand back, yo, we 'bout to make history ♪ ♪ So clear the air of the mystery ♪ ♪ Just so you know what the mission be ♪ ♪ We positive with the energy ♪ ♪ We never lost the vision ♪ ♪ Sometimes you gotta take a second just to reposition ♪ ♪ And leverage every inch of opportunity ♪ [cheers and applause] ♪ Everybody in the crib, we harness rawness ♪ ♪ Ain't nobody on my team gon' quit, we all in ♪ ♪ With our backs on the wall, we still be ballin' ♪ ♪ I suggest calmness before testing all this ♪ ♪ Gonna stay ready, no need to get get ♪ ♪ And if you ain't ready, you need to get get ♪ ♪ We are the timeless, no need to make hits ♪ [cheers and applause] ♪ Sit and have a talk with my dude ♪ ♪ Running how I talk it, what it do ♪ ♪ We stay fresh, it ain't nothing new ♪ ♪ Rule number one, keep it true ♪ ♪ Really, that's it, just the rules of engagement ♪ ♪ Only real ones in it so the party gon' stay lit ♪ ♪ So hot in here, you can feel the burn ♪ ♪ And everybody only gettin' what they earn ♪ - Whoo!

OK. - We gave up 25 points.

OK?

Most of it is offensive rebounds and giving up middle.

- Keep rebounding, but we got six missed layups, so when we get in there, we got to finish some shots in the paint - All right, let's go!

- Take some time.

- Turn up on me, turn up on three.

One, two, three.

all: Turn up!

- ♪ This is for the blood, sweat, tears ♪ all: [chanting] It's time now, it's time to turn up.

DV, let's get loud.

- ♪ Remember where you from or you going nowhere ♪ ♪ My people in the back, put 'em up, where you at?

♪ ♪ And in the front, what's poppin'?

♪ ♪ Get 'em up ♪ [whistle blowing] [cheers and applause] ♪ Definition of ignition, make the engine purr ♪ ♪ Serving for survival ♪ ♪ Only gods get the title ♪ ♪ Turn a rival to disciple ♪ ♪ Ice cold like ice and gold ♪ ♪ Night glow, make macros for micros ♪ ♪ No one can defeat the chosen unique ♪ ♪ 'Cause everybody come home and you're not gon' leave ♪ ♪ Stay strong like gold ♪ ♪ Yeah, move that cheese ♪ all: [chanting] Defense!

[cheering] - ♪ For the blood, sweat, tears, years going hard ♪ ♪ Lord, finally we here ♪ ♪ Since we made it here, yo, we gotta take it here ♪ ♪ Remember where you from or you going nowhere ♪ ♪ My people in the back, put 'em up, where you at?

♪ ♪ And in the front, what's poppin'?

♪ ♪ Get 'em up ♪ [whistle blows] ♪ 'Cause ain't nobody going home unless we all go ♪ ♪ All for one, one for all, make 'em all know ♪ ♪ Make 'em all know ♪ ♪ Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo ♪ - Ah!

Hi.

Hi.

High-five.

- Well, the year is almost over.

Everybody had it rough, but I feel like we had it more rough.

'Cause, like, people were, like, practicing before us, and we didn't get in the gym till, like, a month after everybody else.

But, I mean, it's rough, but at least we still get to graduate, so... [upbeat music] ♪ ♪ - I started, like, running more.

Exercising is kind of a way that I cope or get my mind off things.

I am concerned about my whole family.

We're not, like, the richest out there, and my FAFSA hasn't given me the amount of financial aid I'm going to get to really pay for it.

I still want to go to UC Santa Cruz.

If we don't have the money, then maybe I would be attending, like, community college or something else.

It's hard, but I'm still trying.

[breathing heavily] Dad.

Dad.

Dad.

Dad.

Dad.

Dad.

[suspenseful music] ♪ ♪ [knock at door] Listen.

Something wrong with Dad.

- What happened?

- I went to check up on him, and he didn't wake up-- he wasn't waking up.

There was blood on his face.

- What?

- He looked-- I don't know what's going on.

I just checked in right-- - Dad.

Dad.

- What happened?

- Dad!

Dad!

Dad!

- Call 911.

- Dad!

- Call 911 right now.

Come on.

We got to get him up.

We got to get him up.

- 911.

What's your emergency?

- Hi.

You know what?

I need an ambulance here.

He's passed out.

He's really cold.

I don't know.

I need an ambulance here right now.

My father is an alcoholic, and we just found him in his trailer, and he's cold.

I don't know if he's passed out.

He's not breathing.

- [wailing] - Bring him out.

We're gonna do CPR.

- Dad!

- AJ, help him.

Flat on his back right now.

- Dad!

Pop!

Pop!

Dad!

[sobbing] ♪ ♪ [somber music] ♪ ♪ When I went back to check up on him, I opened the door, and then he was just on the floor.

And I tried to wake him up, and he wasn't waking up.

And, uh, I-- I touched his, like, face and his hands, and it was real-- it was really cold.

And I called my brother as fast as I can.

Saw him crying, and I was like-- he--it was-- it was really hard.

The night before, I came in, I was like, "Hey, Dad, how are you doing?

We got some food."

And then he said, "Nah, son, I'm fine.

Good night.

Love you."

Then I went back inside.

And, like, my brother says a lot that he wished I wasn't the one who found him originally.

But I was.

Sorry.

Really sorry.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪