This released on April 12, 2024. Link to video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-bbosNpIV0
PLOT[]
Ella is intelligent and --despite still being in eighth grade-- moves up to high grade (which is ninth grade). So her principal rewards her with a visit to a high school for ninth grade. But her father doesn't want her to process faster. (That is, as this is the middle of her eighth grade year.) Her father wants Ella to be a kid.
Before that, Ella (at lunch) fights with Stacey. Ella was trying to save Peter (who accidentally dropped his Lego project after Stacey made him fall). Stacey says to Ella that she declares instead of hurting the Peter, she would (much rather) hurt Ella. (That is, as she says to Ella, "YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT, ELLA!".) So Stacey charges at Ella. Stacey throws a hard right punch. But Ella dodges and hits Stacey's square. She (Ella) hits Stacey and pelts her (Stacey) on the nostrils with her book during a fight. This causes Stacey to fall on her rear. Then that quickly, Stacey finds herself with a bloody (and broken) nose. And almost that quickly, one of the lunch staff (from offscreen) tells the principal. And the principal (played by Aneela Qureshi) enters the cafeteria and confronts the two girls Ella and Stacey. Before making Ella and Stacey see her in her office, the principal asks Stacey who broke her nose. (That is, as the principal asks, "What is going on here?". Then --turning to Stacey-- she asks Stacey, "Who did this to you, Stacey?".) Stacey (wordlessly, because her nose is broken) points at Ella. That is, as if to say Ella hit her.
The viewers see Ella at the principal's office. When she --Ella-- and her dad are in the principal's office (and before the principal calls in her dad), the principal talks to the lunch staff. One of the other lunch staff tells the principal that after Stacey made Peter fall --and ruin his Lego project-- Ella was trying to protect/save the student (Peter) from this bully (Stacey). And so, the principal gets that and she lets Ella off with a warning. As for Stacey, the principal did not call in and tell her parents. But in the spite of that, she (Stacey) was forced to eat in lunch detention for a week and was ordered to visit the school psychologist for quite a while. Before the conference with Ella, her dad, and her principal, the viewers then see Stacey. And she comes out of the principal's office (still with a broken and bloody nose from the fight with Ella) and walks away with her mom. Stacey ends up ice packing her nose (as the viewers see her walking out of the office with an ice pack on her nose) and getting picked up by her mom. (And she --possibly-- gets hospitalized from the accident.)
For Ella, the principal tells Ella's dad how great Ella was for defending a student from a bully. (That is, even though Ella was given a warning.) Then regarding about her report card grades (from the previous two trimesters --and now it is the end of second trimester) reveals that Ella has gotten an "A+" in every subject. (That is, including art, math, science, history, language arts, and physical education.) The principal had crossed paths with Ella's teachers. And all of Ella's teachers told the principal that Ella was getting a "A+" in all her classes. So she --the principal-- rewards Ella with a visit to a high school for ninth grade (the next year). That is, for having a 4.0 GPA on her report card (from both first and second trimesters). (The scene shown in the principal's office most likely takes place during the first day of third trimester at Ella's middle school.) Ella (because she has been getting straight "A's") is on her way of joining her 8th grade friends at high school.
CAST[]
Ella - Heaven Tejada
Ella's Dad - Armando Rey
Principal - Aneela Qureshi
Ella's Grandma/Janet - Graciela Patino
Mrs. Stewart - IJ Scimeca
Mr. Jones - Keith Weber
Stacey (Bully) - Olivia Rand
Peter - Landon Balster
Stacey's Mom
Professor Xavier - Steven Bartlett
Host - Shana May Jackson
Employee - Estela Mercado
Ella's Mom - Malian Lahey
Young Ella's Mom - Arielee Hernandez
Younger Janet - Renae Baca
Student 1 - Amiyah Cox
Student 2 - Jannik Ouwersloot
Student 3 - Gia Glenn
Student 4 - Daniel Sanchez
Student 5 - Cassandra Gonzales
Student 6 - Tahir Shabazz
Student 7 - Tahir Shabazz
Student 8 - Micah Rivas-Jobe
Student 9 - Sabrina Beith
Student 10 - Grace Masinter
Kid 1 - Aissana Zhumakhmet
Kid 2 - Maya Banheh
Parent 1 - Jun Kawashima
Parent 2 - Helena Geraci
Genius Kid 1 - Kane Larsen
Genius Kid 2 - Ayanna Patel
Judge 1 - Chad Winkles
Judge 2 - Amanda Dill
Judge 3 - Rob Polachek
Casting Support Services - Breakdown Services
Trivia[]
- Technically, eighth grade students do visit high school. But only in late May.
- As a result, Ella's dad technically could be right. (That is, as he states that Ella should not process faster and be just a kid. That is, unless he means that the principal must postpone that to mid or late May.) He may mean that Ella could visit this high school in late May. The "report card" scene takes place in March (and at the end of second trimester).
- However, the principal obviously would have stated to Ella's dad that she scheduled Ella's visit to high school now. That is, in March instead.
- Even though third trimester has not happened yet, the principal (along with Ella's teachers) would have scheduled this early. It was assigned to Ella early.
- However, the principal obviously would have stated to Ella's dad that she scheduled Ella's visit to high school now. That is, in March instead.
- As a result, Ella's dad technically could be right. (That is, as he states that Ella should not process faster and be just a kid. That is, unless he means that the principal must postpone that to mid or late May.) He may mean that Ella could visit this high school in late May. The "report card" scene takes place in March (and at the end of second trimester).
- As for Stacey's status, it would have likely been revealed that when Stacey got back to school, she would be doing her both her lunch detention and customer service weeks. (That is, when back from the hospital.) Because she (despite getting hurt by Ella) still did something wrong. (That is, for bullying and fighting.) In other words, "She was still in trouble. And she still fought with another student".
- So since Stacey did not have time to do her lunch detention and customer service weeks (as she was in the hospital for a week), she would end up doing it on the week she was back from the hospital and back at school.
- And by extension, Stacey (according to her mother) really should not be hanging out with those girls. (That is, the girls from the beginning of the episode --including Ella.) And from now on, she is never again to see those friends.
- So since Stacey did not have time to do her lunch detention and customer service weeks (as she was in the hospital for a week), she would end up doing it on the week she was back from the hospital and back at school.
