The Global Search for Education: The Necklace That Changed a Lonely Girl

Posted By C. M. Rubin on Aug 9, 2026

This month on the Planet Classroom Network YouTube channel, audiences can watch Your Necklace, a short film curated for Planet Classroom by the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival.

Written, directed, produced, edited, and photographed by Kayla Ling, Your Necklace tells a deeply personal story about childhood loneliness, belonging, and the extraordinary impact a simple act of kindness can have on a young person’s life.

Inspired by her own experiences growing up painfully shy, Ling follows Kali, a young girl who struggles to connect with classmates until an older student reaches out with a small gesture of friendship. That brief moment of inclusion becomes the turning point that helps Kali discover confidence, connection, and a sense of belonging.

Winner of the Best Student Short Award at the 2025 Mosaic Film Festival, Your Necklace reminds audiences that changing someone’s life often begins with the smallest act of empathy. Through its gentle storytelling and emotional honesty, the film encourages viewers of all ages to recognize the power of noticing those who feel invisible.

The Global Search for Education is pleased to welcome filmmaker Kayla Ling.

A young filmmaker whose work explores identity, belonging, and community, Ling brings authenticity and compassion to every frame, transforming a personal childhood memory into a story with universal meaning.

C. M. Rubin: Your Necklace is inspired by your own experiences. What personal memories led you to tell this story?

Kayla Ling: This film is a personal reflection on who I was as a child and who I have become. Today, people are often surprised when I tell them I used to be painfully shy. Speaking up, making friends, or joining conversations felt overwhelming. According to my parents, I often played alone during recess, and I remember constantly feeling self-conscious.

What changed my life wasn’t one dramatic event. It was the patience and kindness of so many people—my parents, teachers, school staff, and especially the older students who volunteered to spend time with nervous kindergarteners like me. In the film, that generosity is represented through Anna, who befriends Kali almost immediately.

When someone in the film tells Kali, “You must have always been this confident,” it reflects something I know isn’t true. The person I became was shaped by countless people who chose kindness. Your Necklace is my thank-you letter to them.

C. M. Rubin: The film explores isolation, belonging, and kindness. Why do you believe small acts of inclusion have such a lasting impact on young people?

Kayla Ling: Childhood is when we begin developing our sense of confidence and self-worth. Because I experienced small moments that made me feel accepted, I gradually grew into someone who believed I belonged. Once I felt that, I wanted others to experience it too.

Sometimes changing someone’s life begins with something incredibly simple—a compliment about a necklace or choosing to sit beside someone eating lunch alone. Those moments may seem small, but they can stay with someone forever.

C. M. Rubin: What was the biggest challenge in transforming such a personal experience into a story audiences from many different backgrounds could relate to?

Kayla Ling: Your Necklace was the first narrative film I had ever written and directed, so learning screenwriting itself was a huge challenge. I wanted the dialogue to feel natural enough for elementary school students while still feeling emotionally authentic.

What surprised me most was how broadly the story connected with audiences. Children related to it, teenagers connected with it, adults reflected on their own childhood experiences, and even a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia used the film in one of his classes. That showed me how universal these feelings of belonging really are.

C. M. Rubin: If viewers leave your film remembering one message, what do you hope it will be?

Kayla Ling: I hope people realize that a single act of inclusion can genuinely change someone’s life.

Inviting one shy child to join your group today could help shape the confident, compassionate adult they become tomorrow. That’s both an incredible responsibility and a hopeful reminder that every one of us has the ability to make someone feel that they belong.

Thank you, Kayla!