If there was ever any doubt about the role a teacher can play in the lives of students, the 2009 documentary Pressure Cooker puts it to rest. Wilma Stephenson, who teaches culinary-arts at the all-Black Frankford High School in Philadelphia, never lets up on her students as she guides them towards a citywide scholarship competition held every spring.

The expectations she places on them are high and, while Ms. Stephenson understands the difficulties some of her students face outside of school, there is no room for excuses in her classroom. As with Waiting For Superman and The Lottery concentrates on a few students as they push themselves to meet Ms. Stephenson's expectations and prepare for the scholarship competition. Pretty amazing.





Wonderful movie ~ available on netflix, of course. And three cheers and a big raise for Wilma Stephenson!