Transcript: Nick and Miguel

Let me tell you about two kids I know, Nick and Miguel. They're both in the 6th grade, so I guess they are about 11 or 12. They used live in my neighborhood, but Miguel's family moved out to the suburbs last year. He's settling in at his new school, called Pleasantville Middle School, and has made several new friends.

Nick still lives around here in the city and goes to Baker Middle School. Nick is a bit "stocky," his mother likes to say. His classmates sometimes use other words for it, both behind his back and to his face, but mostly just joking with him. Some kids get it much worse.

Today in PE class at school, when kids were choosing basketball teams, Nick hid in the locker room. When they play pick-up games he'll join in, but when they choose teams for competitions, Nick always hides. Sometimes the teacher notices and comes to get him, but he got lucky this time and got to sit the period out. At least they only have gym class once a week.

Several kids are even bigger or slower on the court than he is, but that doesn't make him feel any better when he's one of the last kids chosen or misses an easy point.

Miguel looks forward to gym class, especially in his new school where they have decent equipment and fields with grass. He has PE class three times a week now, plus they're allowed to use the balls and play outside at lunch period if they want.

So, Miguel is doing OK out there in the suburbs, and Nick copes well enough. They're kids, y'know? So they've got a lot in common—they like to play video games, watch TV, play outside, and stuff like that. But in some ways, their lives are quite different. I'll fill you in on that later.