If You Can Make It Here (2026)
Kingsley, Kevin, and Hailey are three ambitious eighth graders preparing for a single exam that could determine their futures. They’re competing for admission to New York City’s Specialized High Schools, elite public institutions that have produced Nobel Prize laureates, astronauts, judges, artists, and national leaders. But as the kids await their test results, a citywide battle is raging over who should attend these schools—the kids who score highest on the entrance exam or the kids who improve diversity. Featuring interviews with kids, parents, and education leaders, If You Can Make It Here places young students at the center of a high-stakes cultural conflict over the future of equity and excellence in public education.
Directors: Jaclyn Boudreau, Joseph Kast.
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Wai Wah Chin as Self |
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Michael Benjamin as Self |
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Freddie DeBoer as Self |
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John McWhorter as Self |
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Lisa Greenwald as Self |
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Yiatin Chu as Self |
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Jon Roberts as Self |
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Kingsley Huang as Self |
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Hailey Yap as Self |
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Kevin Williams as Self |
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Isabelle Williams as Self |
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Kristina Raevsky as Self |
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Joel Klein as Self |
| Directing | Jaclyn Boudreau | Director |
| Directing | Joseph Kast | Director |
| Writing | Jaclyn Boudreau | Writer |
| Writing | Joseph Kast | Writer |
| Production | Grant Brown | Producer |
| Camera | Derek Schmitt | Director of Photography |
| Editing | Benjamin Crain | Editor |
| Crew | Rob Montz | Post Production Supervisor |
| Crew | Josh Oldham | Post Production Supervisor |
| Production | Lou Perez | Production Coordinator |
| Production | Nicole Yeatman | Associate Producer |
| Production | Lindsey Rodrian | Associate Producer |
| Production | Jon Roberts | Associate Producer |
| Production | Wai Wah Chin | Associate Producer |
| Production | Jaclyn Boudreau | Executive Producer |
| Production | Scott Barton | Executive Producer |
| Production | Joshua Thompson | Executive Producer |
| Crew | Nicole Yeatman | Additional Writing |
| Camera | Joseph Ford | Camera Operator |
| Lighting | Manuel Ramos | Gaffer |
| Camera | Maddie Rivera | First Assistant Camera |
| Camera | Tim Trotman | First Assistant Camera |
| Camera | Stephanie Guzman | First Assistant Camera |
| Camera | John Jenne | First Assistant Camera |
| Camera | Boris Khaykin | Digital Imaging Technician |
| Camera | Thea Kinner | Second Assistant Camera |
| Lighting | Bob Blankemeier | Gaffer |
| Camera | Christian Barillas | Grip |
| Sound | Rob Ellenberg | Sound Recordist |
| Sound | Robyn Huey | Sound Recordist |
| Production | Andrew Harrington | Key Production Assistant |
| Production | Jared Zucker | Production Assistant |
| Visual Effects | Josh Oldham | Animation |
| Visual Effects | Benjamin Crain | Animation |