ABOUT THE SERIES
IN THE EAST BAY COMMUNITY OF ANTIOCH, CA…
…six students journey towards their futures in higher education amid the turmoil of a pandemic year. With exceptional passion and determination, their college adviser “Mr. Cam” empowers the seniors at Deer Valley High School to overcome the challenges they face while ceaselessly fighting for their dreams of a college degree.
From Tony- and Grammy-winning Executive Producer Daveed Diggs (Blindspotting, Snowpiercer, Hamilton), Executive Producer Nicole Hurd (President, Lafayette College), and award-winning filmmakers Jaye & Adam Fenderson (First Generation, Unlikely), this dramatic six-part series, filmed over the course of the 2020-2021 school year, captures an unprecedented moment in time and the universal stories of hope, resolve, strength and success found in the most unexpected places.
Meet the Cast
Mr. Cam
Originally hailing from Oakland, Cam has returned to his alma mater Deer Valley High School as a college adviser. A first generation college graduate himself, Cam is the only college adviser on a campus with 2000+ students and works tirelessly to empower his students as they navigate the ups and downs of this unprecedented school year
Ahmad
Basketball means everything to Ahmad who transferred to Deer Valley High School to play for their championship winning team. But with indoor sports on hold, this year’s season remains uncertain and Ahmad worries about his sports prospects.
Ebei
A highly decorated track and field star, Ebei is the youngest of five siblings. On top of being a dedicated student, Ebei juggles a busy schedule as an ASB leader and cheerleader and strives to keep school spirit alive despite the unprecedented start to their senior year.
Emily
Hailing from a close-knit family, Emily is the middle child of five sisters. While the pandemic sent students home to learn, Emily’s frontline job in food service remained in-person. Now she juggles working part-time while trying to keep up her grades to get into college.
Javonte
Javonte has come into his own during high school emerging as an outgoing leader. He has the grades and accolades to go on to college, but with so much uncertainty in the world he starts to reconsider his options.
Kadynce
As a cheerleader and member of the Mock Trial Team, Kadynce is quick to let her voice be heard. She dreams of attending a 4-year university, going on to law school, and fighting against issues of injustice but the COVID pandemic has made even her best laid plans feel uncertain.
Raven
A self-taught musician, Raven picked up his first instrument at the age of 7 and enjoyed being part of the Deer Valley High School award-winning choir. Raven aspires to attend a 4-year university but with the challenges of remote learning, he worries about his grades and chances of getting in.
Meet the Creators
Jaye & Adam Fenderson
Directors
The Fendersons are an award-winning husband and wife filmmaking team and the founders of Three Frame Media, an independent production company focused on character-driven storytelling that engages audiences and drives impact. Together, they directed and produced the critically acclaimed documentary First Generation, which follows four high school students striving to become the first in their families to attend college. The film’s success led to Go College! Now, an educational initiative with Wells Fargo aimed at breaking down barriers to college access. Their follow-up documentary, Unlikely, investigated America’s college dropout crisis and featured influential voices, including LeBron James, Howard Schultz, and leading experts in higher education. The Class is the duo’s first original television series directed and produced through Three Frame Media.
Daveed Diggs
Executive Producer
Daveed Diggs is a Tony- and Grammy-winning actor, producer and musician. An Oakland native, Diggs first gained recognition in the hip-hop scene as the lead vocalist of the experimental rap group Clipping. He originated the award-winning performance of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in the Broadway musical Hamilton. In addition to his stage success, Diggs has appeared in numerous film and television projects, including Blindspotting, which he co-wrote and starred in, as well as roles in Snowpiercer, The Little Mermaid (2023), and the Oscar-nominated Nickel Boys
Nicole Hurd
Executive Producer
The current president of Lafayette College, Dr. Hurd is a nationally recognized leader in higher education and a passionate advocate for student opportunity. Before joining Lafayette, she founded and served as CEO of College Advising Corps, the nation’s largest college-access organization. At Lafayette, she has launched transformative initiatives, including waiving a complex financial aid form for students from high-poverty high schools, offering grant-only aid for families earning under $200,000, and simplifying the Common App requirements. Hurd is also spearheading the development of a strategic and master plan as the College prepares for its bicentennial in 2026, focusing on educational outcomes, residential life, athletics, and creative community engagement. Previously honored as a White House Champion of Change, a Gates Foundation Featured Innovator, and one of Washington Monthly's most innovative figures in higher education, Hurd holds a Ph.D. in religious studies from the University of Virginia.
John Gardiner
Cinematographer
With over a decade of experience in theater, film and television, John started his career in Hawaii as a writer/performer for a local television show on Oceanic Cable 16. John earned his BA in Film and Minor in Theatrical Arts at Emerson College in Boston. Moving to Los Angeles John worked with the non-profit organization Film Independent for several years, aiding in the production of the Los Angeles Film Festival and Independent Spirit Awards. As a full time freelancer John has shot music videos, narrative films, commercials, and documentaries and his work has appeared on NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, ESPN, NFL and Dreamworks.
Nathan Matthew David
Composer
A Peabody Award-winning and Emmy-nominated composer for film and television, Nathan Matthew David is recognized for his innovative sonic palette that blends Indigenous Filipinx instruments, orchestra, and modular synthesis. A graduate of USC's Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television Program, he has collaborated with acclaimed composers Ludwig Göransson and Theodore Shapiro. His diverse body of work includes scoring Netflix’s The Brothers Sun, Lionsgate’s Joy Ride, A24/Apple TV’s Underrated, and Disney’s Chang Can Dunk, along with contributions to Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and The Mandalorian. David received a Peabody Award for Surviving R. Kelly, an ASCAP Award, and a Sports Emmy nomination for HBO’s Under the Grapefruit Tree.
Wax Taber
Editor
Wax is an Emmy, Peabody, Morrow, and Telly Award-winning documentary editor and producer with over 20 years of experience in crafting impactful, cutting-edge films and series. Splitting time between Los Angeles and New York City, Wax spent a decade with CNN, where she built a reputation as a passionate storyteller with a distinct cinematic vision. Driven by curiosity about the world — its cultures, people, music, sports, and social causes — Wax brings authenticity and depth to every project. Her journey is one of resilience: from being orphaned and homeless to earning a BFA with honors, thanks to the guidance of two EOP/EDP advisors who recognized her potential and hunger for education. For Wax, The Class represents a deeply personal full-circle moment — a testament to the transformative power of opportunity. As Wax reflects, "Without EOP/EDP... I would probably be dead."
Salman Syed
Editor
Salman Syed is a Pakistani-Muslim American film editor based in Los Angeles. He holds an M.F.A. in film editing from the American Film Institute and a B.A. in Film Production from Cal State University Northridge. His recent work includes High on the Hog Season 2 on Netflix, and CNN's Vegas: Story of Sin. Other notable works are the Magic Johnson docuseries They Call Me Magic on Apple TV+ , the Netflix docuseries Diagnosis and Flint Town. He was also an assistant editor on season 3 of the Seth MacFarlane Sci-Fi dramedy The Orville for FOX/Hulu.
Brendan Murphy
Editor
Brendan is a Creative Director, Content Creator, and Editor with 20+ years of experience crafting high-impact sizzle reels, trailers, and branded content for Netflix, Max, Paramount+, Universal Pictures, Magnolia, and Facebook. Whether launching a new show, shaping a brand identity, or creating cinematic marketing content, he brings a strategic, hands-on approach that blends compelling visuals, immersive sound design, and precise editing to engage audiences and drive results.
Hailey Millar
Editor
Hailey is an award-winning filmmaker with a passion for giving a voice to the voiceless. Born and raised in Boston, she made the move out west to attend and graduate from the Dodge College of Film & Media Arts at Chapman University. Hailey found her true passion lies in editing and she has gained extensive experience working on feature-length documentaries, docu-series and commercial content. Her credits include Too Funny To Fail, Ask Dr. Ruth (both on Hulu), Emmy-nominated 11 Minutes (Paramount +) and Phenoms (FOX). Her most recent venture has been directing, producing and editing Aftermath, a short documentary which focuses on the untold stories of the survivors of the Las Vegas Shooting and premiered in February 2022 at the Golden State Film festival at the TCL Chinese Theater in Los Angeles, CA.
