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Going On 13

by Dawn D. Valadez, Kristy Guevara-Flanagan

Four girls. Four years. The change of a lifetime.

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Meet Ariana, Isha, Rosie and Esme as they let go of childhood and fumble, or sprint, toward an uncertain future. Without flinching, GOING ON 13 chronicles four girls' coming of age and the precarious moments between being a little girl and becoming a young woman. As they grapple with issues of school, family, friends, and identity, GOING ON 13 allows us to see what real girls face during this pivotal time of puberty, while providing a vehicle for discussing important developmental milestones. The DVD and accompanying interactive study/discussion guide helps educators teach about girls' lives and youth development in 21st century urban America. GOING ON 13 asks many important and critical questions, including: How do girls develop healthy identities while growing up in increasingly challenging communities? What does it take for a girl of color to grow up in our cities today? What do parents need to do help their daughters succeed? How do families maintain their home culture while supporting their daughters navigating the American landscape? GOING ON 13 sheds light on the inner life of girls in our communities and reveals the spark and resilience each girl must cultivate in order to maintain a high self-esteem and love herself.

quoteThis film provides a nuanced depiction of puberty that is a must see for anyone working in education, social work, or allied fields. As a professor of social work at NYU, I cannot wait to show this film to my students.
Karra Bikson, Ph.D
Assistant Professor, NYU's Silver School of Social Work
full review

quoteFrank and compelling. An excellent choice for discussions about what it means to become a young woman in today's society...from their perspective.
Robin Levin
School Library Journal
full review

quoteFascinating and engrossing. I'd recommend it for a variety of courses in psychology, education, sociology, and anthropology at the college level.
Larraine M. Glidden, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor, Center on Health and Education, Georgetown University

quoteEvery topic I am concerned about, every topic I teach about, appears in the film...subtle, moving, nuanced, powerful, and right on!
Sharon Lamb
Author, Packaging Girlhood: Rescuing Our Daughters from Marketers' Schemes
full review

quoteEmpathetic documentary...The filmmakers appear to have established a healthy rapport with their subjects, since the pre-adolescents talk openly in front of the camera...Recommended
K. Fennessy
Video Librarian
full review

More Reviews

AWARDS & SCREENINGS:

  • Best Documentary, LA Femme Film Festival
  • Cine Golden Eagle Award
  • Tribeca Film Festival
  • SILVERDOCS AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival
  • The Association for Women in Psychology, Annual Conference 2008

  • Portland Women's Film Festival
  • Taiwan International Children's TV & Film Festival
  • Bay Area Video Coalition Videomaker's Award
  • Grantmakers Forum on Children, Youth, and Families

  • BOOST National Conference (Best Out of School Time)

  • San Diego County Office of Education

  • California Adolescent Health Conference

  • National Middle School Association, Annual Conference 2010

Resource Web Sites

appleGirls Inc.

Celebrating girls voices since 1864

appleChildren Now

A national organization for people who want to ensure that children are the top public policy proirity

appleNew Moon Girls Online

A safe online community and magazine by girls, for girls

Resources to Download

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Visit the official website for Going On 13

Going On 13

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Appropriate for: Middle School High School College/University

Special Features:

Includes a 37-page Interactive Discussion/Activity Guide with bonus scenes from the film and short films made by the girls themselves. The DVD has Audio Description, as well as Closed Captioning for accessibility.