By Amy Sondova It’s all the drama, but none of the personal turmoil–it’s high school relived from freshman to senior year through the lives of 12 girls from Northwest High School in Overland Park, KS. It’s called “High School: Confidential” and the show is a new 8-part documentary airing Monday nights at 10 PM on the WE Network. The girls were filmed from 2002-2006.
The season finale of “High School: Confidential” ends with a recap of all twelve girls, as well as an overview of prom and graduation. Naturally all the girls who attend prom look beautiful with their springy updos, lovely dresses, and handsome dates. Lauren G. is nominated as prom queen, but is happy just to make the court while Cate wore a green sequin dress that her date said made her look like a fish. Unaffected, Cate happily points to her killer light-up heels. Courtney and her boyfriend, Jon, also took a “big step” after prom spending the night together. Sara N. didn’t attend prom at all.
There is also the senior picnic/yearbook singing in which Caitlin is surprised that her ex-boyfriend Matt signs her yearbook. There is plenty of footage of the girls laughing, writing, and having a great time together. As graduation approaches, Courtney is frustrated to hear that her boyfriend, Jon, is planning on attending a different college than her to pursue a baseball scholarship. Sarah the artist says what everyone else is thinking, “[The graduation] ceremony seems boring.” Sara N. seems to be sunk in depression and doesn’t want to attend the ceremony either; she just misses her fiancé. Kim delivers an excellent speech to the class of 2006, which was a fitting and grand ending to “High School: Confidential”.
While the series was marketed as revolutionary, somehow it missed showing the beauty of being a teenager. Perhaps it was my own troubled teenage years combined with my work with teenagers that has clouded my judgment on this one. The girls themselves were endearing, vulnerable, and candid. Each week it was exciting to meet new girls, to hear their stories, and get “to know” them. The girls giggled, dated, make poor choices, did great things, and all graduated. They grew and changed and came into adulthood. I would have liked to hear a little bit more about the girls themselves and less about the events surrounding them. I felt that while the audience shared the stories of these girls, we weren’t always exposed to what made each one of them human.
According to “High School: Confidential” and the WeTV website, here is what each girl is doing today:
Lauren G. is attending University of Colorado majoring in psychology with a minor in business.
Jessi is focusing on her acting career and has been in a few independent films.
Kim is attending Boston University double majoring in philosophy and political science with a minor in theater. She is graduating early.
Gina is in the graphic arts program at KU and still hangs out with the other two members of the tripod, Beth and Crystle.
Crystle is still dating Tyler and modeling as well as working on her B.A. in film studies at University of Kansas
Beth is attending Kansas University where she is working on a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting. She rooms with Crystle and together they own a cat, a ball python, and a fish.
Cappie has thrown off her “party girl” image and is going to University of Kansas to become a teacher.
Cate has traded in her motorcycle for a moped and is enjoying life at University of Kansas where she is currently majoring in French. She still keeps up with her business, Cate Photography.
Courtney is studying physical therapy at University of Kansas.
Sara N. is married to Jon and living in North Carolina where the couple just bought their first house. She is attending a program to become a nurse CRNA.
Allyson attends University of Pittsburgh.
Lauren B. is majoring in history and minoring in political science at University of Pennsylvania. She still wants to change the world.
Caitlin attends Saint Louis University where she is working towards a doctorate in physical therapy as well as a minor in psychology.
Sarah T. is attending KU to get a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting.
Photographs courtesy of WeTV.
Catch up with the other girls–Lauren G. & Cappie; Courtney; Jessi; Allyson, Kim, & Sarah; Crystle, Sara N. & Caitlin, and Cate, Beth, & Lauren B.
She is Beloved 