Class Discussion Leads to March 31 Event

teacher Kristina Pittman's decision to have her advanced placement (AP) language and composition classes read the book The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids last year is turning out to have quite a ripple effect.

The book exposes modern pressures on high school students, a theme that also runs through the movie Race to Nowhere, which will be shown at 7 p.m. March 31 at the school’s Hunt Auditorium.

The book, written by Alexandra Robbins, chronicles the lives of students in Bethesda, MD. Their experiences with the pressures of maintaining high grades and getting into good colleges struck a chord with North students.

"So many kids gave it to their parents," Pittman said. "That just doesn't happen much."

Students also contacted Robbins, which started a conversation between the author and the school, she said. And when Pittman asked the students which books should be carried forward to this school year, The Overachievers was on the list.

Meanwhile, Pittman's search for nonfiction class material led her to Race to Nowhere. The movie wasn't going to be shown in theaters, she learned, because the woman behind it, Vicki Abeles, didn't want people to just watch. Abeles wants to see action groups formed, "so people will do something about this," Pittman said.

In a statement about the film, Abeles said she became aware of the problem when her own 12-year-old daughter was treated for stress-related illness. As she looked into the problem, she said, "I felt compelled to speak out about this crisis by making a film and giving voice to the students, teachers and parents. I wanted to expose a deeper truth about our education system. We are graduating a generation of robo-students, unable to think and work independently, creatively and collaboratively.”

Pittman said she has noticed that more pressures are being put on students than in years past. North Principal Rick Jones said students may be pushing themselves to achieve academically with "heavy content" classes that require four to five hours of homework. Add that to participation in athletics, the school musical and community service projects, and students end up stressed and sleep-deprived.

"I think with suburban communities, especially, a lot of our kids are overbooked," Jones said.

He and Pittman found 10 student leaders who formed a steering committee to arrange the Race to Nowhere showing. The film may also turn out to be a benefit for the school; if more than 150 tickets are sold, half of the proceeds will go to North Farmington High School.

"I have to give (the students) all the credit," Pittman said. "They did classroom visits ... they made fliers, they were the initial contacts for local community groups and the media."

In addition, students from the school's L.E.A.D. (Leadership in Education, Acceptance and Diversity) group will be helping on the night of the event. Anyone who wants to participate in a discussion after the film will have the opportunity to work with student and staff facilitators at eight breakout sites, Jones said.

Senior Anna Yaldo, 17, is a member of the steering committee. While working on a project to raise relief funds for victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Jones asked whether she would help with Race to Nowhere.

"I've read The Overachievers, and I knew about the story," she said. "The reason why I'm so passionate about it is the majority of overachievers at North Farmington — that's their life story."

While Yaldo admits to losing sleep over the pressures of taking two high-level AP classes, she said reading the book helped her gain perspective.

"I'm not taking things as seriously," she said. "I think almost any senior has some level of stress ... but I'm not freaking out as much."

Tickets cost $10 in advance or $15 at the door. For more information about the North Farmington event, visit the Race to Nowhere website. To purchase tickets online, visit eventbrite.com.