EXT SCHOOL DAY
30 kids are in a science classroom with burners nearby. A black high school senior addresses the group. This is TERRY
TERRY
Ok y’all, so we’re gonna have you all break into groups of 3 and use the materials we’ve provided.
You’re each going to be given a raw egg, as will the kids in the other rooms. When the time is up, you’ll each take turns dropping it from this third story window. Those who’s eggs don’t go splat will compete against each other until we have a winner. So pair up! Your 30 minutes starts now
BRAD turns to the other kids standing next to him. One is a black boy aged 10, and the other a girl aged 11. This is MARIO and KATELYN. They all look to each other and smile
ALL
Pair up? / Sure / Let’s do it!
The three walk over to a table with rubber bands, glue, paper, tape, and tongue depressors on it
KATELYN
Katelyn
Mario BRAD smiling
MARIO
Yeah I remember you guys from orientation. I’m Brad KATELYN/MARIO smiling
Cool/Cool KATELYN smiling So, any ideas?
MARIO and BRAD notice the bunson burners and then look at each other
BRAD
There is one way to ensure our egg doesn’t go splat
MARIO
Can’t splatter if we cook it first
BRAD smiles with big eyes Precisely
KATELYN
Guys, you don’t have to do this. I get straight A’s in science; we can figure it out using physics
BRAD / MARIO defensively
I passed science/Yeah, I can read KATELYN makes big eyes
MARIO and BRAD respond-in between each other speaking- as if to prove to her they know science
MARIO
Variable and Control
BRAD
Mitochondria
MARIO
Pythagoras
BRAD
It’s the powerhouse of the cell
KATELYN wide eyed big smile Let’s just get this over with
BRAD and MARIO smile and look at each other MARIO (to KATELYN)
Be our lookout?
Why me?!
KATELYN
MARIO
Cuz no one’ll suspect you
BRAD hissing dramatically It’s the perfect criiiiime!
KATELYN
OK but if we get caught, I knew nothing
BRAD looking at them while turning the fire on without looking at it
This a fool proof plan
Fire puffs out. KATELYN jumps. BRAD makes a ‘be cool’ gesture. MARIO holds the egg up in front of his eyes and smiles
MARIO
Science
KATELYN walking off OH my gosh
MUSIC MONTAGE Scene Change
MOM (brief!)
INT KITCHEN DAY/INT LAB DAY
MONTAGE of MOM chopping apples and MARIO mischievously attempting to sneak BRAD an egg without detection. MOM looks around to make sure no one sees her and adds sugar into her mix. BRAD looks around to make sure no one sees him and starts cooking an egg he holds at its edge. MOM tastes the charoset and to her surprise, it is actually really good.
BRAD lights the burner and says ‘ouch’ as he burns himself and drops the egg.
BRAD looks at MARIO
MARIO
Shoot
MARIO looks at KATELYN who makes a less than enthused face. KATELYN walks up to TAMIKA and smiles. TAMIKA hands her another egg
KATELYN smiling hard Thank youuu
MOM opens up a UPS box and takes out Hagaddahs
MARIO holds the egg up to the fire with tongues. The egg bursts. MARIO looks at BRAD
BRAD
Dang
BRAD looks to KATELYN who makes a less than enthused face. KATELYN walks up to TAMIKA and smiles. TAMIKA hands her another egg
MOM sets the table and is satisfied with how it looks. BRAD holds metal glass holders while looking away to smile and nod as others (primarily staff) pass by. The egg is in the a glass cylinder he’s holding that MARIO who is standing next to him is staring at
MARIO
Almost… Just a few more seconds
The egg bursts
MARIO and BRAD look at the egg
MARIO/BRAD
Dang/Shoot!
They look to KATELYN who makes a big ‘Come on guys’ face/gesture and walks off to TAMIKA.
TAMIKA hands her another egg but this time is skeptical. KATELYN grins and takes it
MONTAGE MUSIC OVER
KATELYN approaches MARIO and BRAD who are in front of their table
KATELYN
Guys, she’s on to us. This has to be the last one
MARIO and BRAD look at each other and nod. They look back to KATELYN. BRAD and MARIO respond one right after the other
BRAD
Build it –
MARIO
- you have our blessing
KATELYN looks at them and then the clock and groans and walks off toward the table
INT LAB DAY LATER
KATELYN, MARIO and BRAD walk back looking bummed out and sit down. Other kids around them look more enthusiastic walking back talking excitedly
(resumes)
MONTAGE ? maybe
BRAD AND MARIO’S first egg pops. The kids send KATELYN to ask for another egg, claiming they’d had a mishap. She does. The second one pops. KATELYN goes back. The third one pops and the kids decide on just doing the originally assigned task, but due to a time crunch, cannot complete KATELYN’S design. They lose.
After they are approached by MIKE who says he’d peeped the whole thing
SUMMERBRIDGE INT DAY (AFTER)
MIKE approaches MARIO, BRAD and KATELYN
MIKE
Hey guys
BRAD down
ALL
Hey Mike/Wsup Mike
MIKE
Interesting design you had there
Yeeeah, I know
MARIO
We came close
MIKE
Might even say you were on fire
KATELYN
Ugh! I told you we’d get caught
MARIO
Wait, Why didn’t you say anything?
MIKE
I thought it’d make for a teachable moment if I let it play out
MARIO and BRAD look at each other confused
BOTH
Teachable moment?
KATELYN as she puts her face into her hand in embarrassment Oh my gosh, guys!
MIKE
You cheated because you thought that taking a shortcut would put you ahead of the pack
MARIO and BRAD nod in slight shame
MIKE
And yet, in the end, you’d of been better off just doing the right thing from jump. Who knows, you might have even won
KATELYN folds her arms and looks at BRAD and MARIO who start smiling as though they were just paid a compliment
MARIO / BRAD
This is true/yeah we might have/we could have won
MIKE (bit of an attitude) So what’d you learn?
BRAD
That Oxygen permeability is the biggest factor when cooking an egg
–
MARIO
- Which is why it’s safer to cook them in boiling water because water is multiple times better at
MARIO and BRAD (simultaneously) Heat absorption
MIKE
Guys, seriously?
BRAD
Yeah, that’s what steam is
MARIO
The molecules act as transporters – except in this case
BRAD and MARIO simultaneously excited The heat was confined with-in the egg! MIKE shakes his head and walks off MARIO (to KATELYN)
I told ya; science MARIO smiles
BRAD (to MARIO)
Hi five for teachable moments BRAD and MARIO high five
KATELYN
Unbelievable
