Outcast

What an inspiration for young filmmakers to see how middle schoolers can get together and fulfill a vision. These young students made a film with a great story, with good dancing, characters and a message that every young person should hear. Cameron had a vision to write a film where he could tap dance on roller skates. It ended up to be a full musical with choreography, a cast of talented friends and encouraged by devoted adults who have been mentors and role models through the years. The story involves two young boys, living in the world of Hip Hop, who both don't fit in; one because he can't dance, and the other because he's known only for his dance and not for who he really is inside. They both run away, run into each other and end up becoming friends who learn that we all have something to offer the world. On their journey they meet Outcast, a veteran Tap Dancer, who was also run out of town, because he didn't fit in to the Hip Hop world. The two boys learn from Outcast that they too can dance, and their Tap dancing is just as valuable as the Hip Hop they ran away from. They go back to school,challenge the other kids to embrace their talents, and the final Dance-Off shows that these young people can embrace one another's differences and appreciate others for who they are. Kudos to the kids at Millikan Middle School and to their teacher, Karen Bennett!