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Ultimate Citizens (39 min)

Ultimate Citizens is a celebration of resilience and a vision of a more welcoming America. Developing a sense of belonging—so critical for all Middle School and Junior High children—is spectacularly illustrated as we see children blossom amidst the most difficult circumstances.

The film follows Jamshid Khajavi, a charismatic, fiery and funny Iranian American public school counselor, as he mentors the members of an Ultimate Frisbee team assembled from the immigrant and refugee students arriving at his inner-city school in Seattle, WA.

As their parents struggle to make a living and a home in a strange and often hostile new land, Jamshid helps his students cope with grief and loss while teaching conflict resolution in the classroom. Jamshid's efforts to build community where all kids can thrive are heroic, but it's the parents working low-paying jobs, and their first-generation American kids, who are the champions.

In a divided country, this unassuming and compassionate school counselor coaches an underdog team of kids on their way to compete in the world's largest mixed youth Ultimate tournament: Spring Reign.

A 52 minute version is also available.

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