Ep 9. State of the Union

Elena is on the brink of graduating middle school and is having a difficult time coping with all of the changes happening in her life. She’s preparing to give a speech at her school’s State of the Union event, but struggles to find the right words to express the state of her own emotions.

Her family life isn’t making things any easier, either. When she isn’t worrying about her Dad being lonely after breaking up with Ms. Thong, she’s worrying about her brother Bobby’s academic future after his hard-won fake I.D. falls apart.

But even though she feels like she has a lot on her plate, Elena is determined to rise to the occasion and deliver a truly remarkable speech. She spends long hours practicing and revising her words, determined to communicate the importance and urgency of the issues affecting her and her peers.

As the day of the event approaches, Elena becomes more and more nervous. She’s never been one for public speaking, and the thought of standing up in front of her entire school and delivering an important message is almost too much to bear.

But with the help of her family and friends, Elena finds the courage to get through the big day. When it’s finally time to take the stage, she delivers a powerful speech that leaves everyone in the audience moved and inspired.

Through her words, Elena is able to communicate not only the state of her own emotions, but the state of the world around her. She talks about issues like climate change, income inequality, and systemic racism, and calls on her peers to take action in fighting back against these injustices.

It’s a transformative moment for Elena and her community, and one that will stay with her for the rest of her life. As she reflects on her experience and the impact of her speech, she realizes that she has the potential to make a real difference in the world – one powerful statement at a time.