Inside a small quaker school exists a big world full of social cues, socioeconomic disparity, love, friendship and betrayal. Junior Cassie Anderson has attended Philadelphia Friends School her entire life, and yet has never felt that she truly belonged there. While she has always felt a strong connection to the core values of the school, academically she falls short. Her best (and only friend) Nora usually...
Inside a small quaker school exists a big world full of social cues, socioeconomic disparity, love, friendship and betrayal. Junior Cassie Anderson has attended Philadelphia Friends School her entire life, and yet has never felt that she truly belonged there. While she has always felt a strong connection to the core values of the school, academically she falls short. Her best (and only friend) Nora usually serves as Cassie’s support system, but lately she’s been more interested in spending time with her new boyfriend Gavin, a senior. After a meeting with the new head of school Tina, Cassie learns that she’s in danger of explosion if her grades don’t start to match the requirement of this rigorous college prep-institution. Feeling alone, Cassie turns to the only teacher she trusts, her creative writing teacher Audrey. Audrey reassures Cassie that she is as valid and important a student as anyone else, and plants the idea of taking action if sometime doesn’t seem right. Fed up with the school focusing more on grades and her potential to get into an ivy-league than who she is as a student, Cassie decides to join forces with the school’s biggest and more vocal critic, Hannah, a senior. Once Nora learns of Cassie’s new friendship with Hannah, who just happens to be Gavin’s very recent ex, a rift begins to form in their relationship. Nora invites Cassie to a party Gavin hosts, trying to help her feel more connected to the new social group she's starting to be a part of. At the party Gavin and Cassie talk, and he learns of the plan she and Hannah have to stage a protest at the school’s 250th Anniversary gala. Word of this ultimately gets back to Tina, who reprimands Cassie and Hannah. In one final attempt to fight back, Cassie stands up in Meeting for Worship and openly expresses her disdain for how the school is being run, Tina stands and attempts to elder Cassie, who eventually concedes. Nora then stands, and confronts Tina for her mistreatment of Cassie. The entire school watches as this happens. Tina ends up suspending Nora, and firing Audrey. Before her suspension begins, Nora and Cassie meet up.The girls apologize for not being there for each other, and rekindle their friendship. Showing that while the community you’re in may not accept you, the people who love you the most always will.
