A first-year teacher in an at-risk Los Angeles middle school finds the inspiration to confront his bullies through his interactions with a lovable, but equally teased, student.

SYNOPSIS:

Twenty-four-year old Steven Thomas is an awkward and timid first-year teacher in a rough inner-city Los Angeles middle school. He gets no respect from students and fellow staff members, and he reconsiders his devotion to teach.

One day after school, he sees a group of bullies picking on an overweight, but resilient, eight grade student, Sandley Curtis. The biggest of the bulliest shoves Sandley to the ground and tries to make him eat his sock. Mr. Thomas does his best to stop the madness, but none of the students listen to him. Defeated, he stands there and watches in awe as Sandley uses humor to disarm the bullies and walk away from the ordeal unharmed.

The next day, Mr. Thomas struggles to control his unruly class as the prinicipal observes his teaching. A few students insult Mr. T, and the prinicpal laughs along with them. Sandley is present in the class, and Mr. Thomas again watches in admiration as Sandley uses humor to disarm more bullies who pick on him.

After class, Mr. Thomas walks the halls and is insulted by a group of fellow teachers, including the principal, who laugh at him as he passes. He continues down the hall and sees Sandley using humor to disarm more bullies. Mr. T approaches Sandley and asks him his secret. Sandley tells him that, whenever someone tries to pick on him, he knows that the person is only doing it because he feels bad about himself, so he does his best to make the person laugh, and it usually makes everything better.

Mr. Thomas ponders this advice and uses it the next day in class when the principal is again observing him. Mr. T tries to control his class a few times using authority, but soon uses humor to disarm a class bully trying to insult him. The class laughs along with Mr. T, and he turns the situation into a lesson on the harm of bullying others. Mr. T passes his observation and the principal apologizes for insulting him the previous day.

Sandley walks into the hall after class, and again he uses humor to disarm some bullies. Mr. Thomas observes this and smiles as Sandley walks away as happy and confident as ever.

-Aura Screenwriter Awards, 2015, Finalist

-Courier Awards, 2015, Semifinalist

-Marquee Lights Competition, 2015, Semifinalist

-Los Angeles CineFest, 2016, Official Selection

-NewLife Film & Script & Music Festival, 2016, Official Selection

-Hollywood Sky International Film Festival, 2015, Official Selection