Examining how children are educated

Hewlett High School senior Nepthali Caceres thought the movie, “Race to Nowhere,” was telling his story about the pressure to attain the best SAT scores and gain admission to a good college.

Caceres said he hopes the movie inspires a change and raises awareness. “I want to be a physical therapist and I don’t think it’s fair for me not to pursue my dream because of scores from standardized tests,” he said, after viewing the film in the high school’s auditorium on Nov. 30.

“Race to Nowhere” first released in September of last year, shows how students nationwide, including those from The Wheatley School in Old Westbury, are impacted by their drive to achieve high grades and the pressures of the standardized exams. The film made by Vicki Abeles has since expanded to private screenings and was brought to the Hewlett-Woodmere district by its Central Council PTA. Students are seen staying up until the early hours of the morning, occasionally not sleeping at all, to complete hours of homework and prepare for standardized tests, which, in some cases, determine their future.

Zachary Gershon, also a senior at Hewlett High School, echoed Caceres words and said he felt the movie described his own struggle as a student. “My first thought after watching the movie was, “I have to go home and do homework,’” he said. “The movie made me really sad because I felt like it was focused on me and the pressures fostered by teachers, friends and family.”

Hewlett-Woodmere Central Council PTA Co-Presidents Mitchell Greebel and Melissa Gates hosted the free movie screening and wanted the community to view the film. “It’s important to make this film accessible to everyone,” Gates said. “I hope it raises awareness and empowers dialogue around the issues that shape our child’s education.”

Jamie Marcus, a parent to two fourth-graders in the district, hopes change comes about after this film. “What are we going to do?” she asked the audience. “Our children are getting a great education in the classroom and then have a couple hours of homework when they come home and it’s too much. We need to get together and see what we’re going to do, how we’re going to do it and when.”