Ivan stars in education drama about AI and school equity

Thirteen-year-old actor Ivan appears in MR. ADVOCATE, a Bay Area theatrical premiere on Aug. 15 in Richmond that examines how schools are responding to artificial intelligence. The film uses a third-grade AI showcase to probe equity, educator burnout and whether students are being taught to use AI or left to catch up on their own.

Why it matters: - MR. ADVOCATE lands as schools and families are heading into a new academic year with AI already in students’ lives. - The film centers a question with real classroom stakes: whether school systems are teaching children how to use AI or simply reacting after the fact. - The story also ties AI to access, educator wellness and equity, not just technology.

What happened: - Ivan, a 13-year-old actor, singer and dancer, appears in MR. ADVOCATE, a 51-minute drama written, directed and produced by former educator and filmmaker Stacie McClam. - The film will have its Bay Area theatrical premiere on Aug. 15 at Cinemark Century Hilltop 16 in Richmond, California. - McClam said the film uses technology to illuminate broader concerns about educational purpose, access and whether all students will have an equitable opportunity in an AI-driven future. - The movie is the first film in McClam’s planned THE SYSTEM Trilogy.

The details: - MR. ADVOCATE is set in an urban elementary school that focuses heavily on standardized-test preparation. - The plot follows Nathan Edwards, a new teacher who builds a six-station AI Show for his third-grade students. - The school principal tries to cancel the event, pulling students, parents and educators into a wider conflict over innovation and institutional resistance. - Ivan’s role adds a student-centered perspective to the story. - His film biography says he recorded his first track at age 4. - By age 9, Ivan became the youngest artist signed to Concord Records and the youngest member of Kidz Bop. - Ivan has worked with performers in the United States, United Kingdom and Mexico. - The cast includes Rodney Damon Collins, Conrad Cheeks, BZ Cullins, Andre K. Jefferson, Jere’Miah McGhee, Rapheal Gavin, Arturo Spell and Tehan Davis. - The film also examines grief, depression, burnout and the emotional lives of Black male educators. - For premiere information, screening inquiries and film updates, visit the film’s website.

Between the lines: - McClam’s background as a former public-school teacher and law school graduate shapes the film’s focus on institutional accountability. - The project reflects a broader concern that AI adoption is moving faster than school systems’ guidance for students. - A 2025 RAND study found that 54% of surveyed students and 53% of English language arts, math and science teachers were using AI for school. - The same study found that only 35% of district leaders said their districts provided student AI training. - More than 80% of students said teachers had not explicitly taught them how to use AI for schoolwork. - McClam said, “I merge advocacy and film to challenge systems that undervalue our children and staff.”

What’s next: - McClam plans California college and historically Black college and university screening tours for fall 2026. - The next films in THE SYSTEM Trilogy will explore AI in elementary, middle and high school settings. - McClam hopes the film pushes parents, educators, administrators and students to think more deeply about what kind of future today’s classrooms are preparing children to enter.

The bottom line: - MR. ADVOCATE uses a family-friendly school drama to turn AI from a buzzword into a question about equity, preparation and who gets taught to shape the future.