At a remote Mojave Desert high school, intrepid teachers and administrators work to ensure that at-risk teens graduate, even when the odds seem stacked against them. They believe that structure, empathy, and support will help give young people the tools they need to navigate hardships in their lives—poverty, homelessness, addiction, abuse, and teenage parenthood. Principal Vonda Viland is up before dawn, calling to make sure her students are awake and coming to school. Unafraid of pushing them to invest in their potential, her office is home to hours of coaching and intense learning—efforts that are arguably more essential to their education than the tests in the classroom. It is work without easy answers and well-defined boundaries. The Bad Kids, through stunning cinéma vérité, connects to the personal lives of both students and educators, and reveals the challenges, triumphs, and tenacity of an institution making a difference, one life at a time.  ST