Educational Media Reviews Online

Night School highlights a new program, the Excel Center, which is a high school for adults in Indianapolis, IN – a city which reportedly has the lowest high school graduation rate in the United States. The program covers a social justice issue, providing access to the advantages of an education, to a segment of the population who may not otherwise have the same opportunities as those living in the suburbs. The film follows three adults as they return to high school, and is a blunt portrayal of the barriers and struggles each one faces to complete the degree. The viewer is drawn into the celebration as each one earns their diploma, one of the graduates addresses his fellow graduates and the audience, saying: “If you want something in your life you never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.” His statement illustrates the effect of the human spirit on achieving something that may be viewed as unobtainable. The film includes a lot of strong language. This resource is recommended for libraries supporting programs in education and social work.