Best Kept Secret: Aging Out with Autism

Samantha Buck's documentary was shot over the course of a year and a half at the John F. Kennedy High School for special needs students in Newark, NJ. Buck follows dedicated teacher Janet Mino as she works to prepare her severely autistic charges for life in the outside world. The focus here is on three 20-year-old men—two from Newark and a third from Orange—whom Mino strives to help in expressing themselves and interacting productively with others, despite their occasional violent outbursts. Mino's ultimate goal, however, is even larger: because earlier graduates often wound up in institutions or on the street, she also searches for employment opportunities suitable for the young men once they leave Kennedy's support system—a difficult task. Best Kept Secret captures various ordinary elements of school life—classes, field trips, recess—along with events such as the senior prom. The camera also drops in on parent-teacher conferences (which can sometimes grow tense) and leaves the campus to visit the students' homes. The documentary closes with the graduation ceremony, followed by poignant recaps detailing how the three subjects fared afterward—a mixed report. It also shows Mino and her colleagues returning next year to resume their tireless efforts on behalf of other kids. Best Kept Secret offers a compelling personal portrait of a troubling social situation in which autistic young students struggle to find a place in adult society. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)