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This content comes from a Full-Text Transcript of the program.

NATALIE MORALES reporting:In our
CLASS OF2020
series, we're following a group of students from their first day in kindergarten to their
high school
graduation. At eight years old,
Ruby
's already a veteran of the stage having grown up with a mom and dad who make their living in the theater.
Ruby
has always been confident as a performer, but that confidence didn't always translate in the classroom until she made a breakthrough. It's the first round of rehearsals for the second grade vaudeville show and
Ruby
has already landed a big role.

MORALES:Mrs.
Gage
is directing the vaudeville show for the 12th straight year. Getting 60 kids on the same page can be exhilarating and exhausting.

Mrs. GAGE:Ruby
's group is ready.

MORALES:While some of her classmates are performing onstage
for the first time
,
Ruby
has theater in her blood.

ANN (Ruby's Mother):Can you pick out two more flowers for your hair?

MORALES:When
Ruby
's mom
Ann
isn't doing her hair and makeup for the school plays, she's an award-winning costume designer for theater, film and television.
Ruby
's dad
Keythe
is a critically acclaimed actor, writer and director. For
Ruby
and her older sister
Violet
, the theater isn't just their parents workplace, it's their home away from home.

ANN:It's changed their lives and we're in partnership with them, you know, when we decide to do a show, the girls do it with us.

Mrs. GAGE:Ruby
, if you can fit it in the first three squares, that's great.

MORALES:Staying focused in the classroom is the hard part.

KEYTHE:I think she is a -- an independent learner.

ANN:Mm-hmm.

KEYTHE:She loves being in class and she loves being with her students, but sometimes that structure is not always suited for her.

MORALES:When second grade began,
Ruby
was struggling to keep up with her classmates, then a family vacation changed everything,
Ruby
spent a week in
Spain
with her family and it gave her a whole new perspective.

ANN:It was a different world for her, and I think it blew her mind, traveling, and that's the best kind of education you can give your kid is showing them the world and what it really looks like outside a textbook.

Mrs. GAGE:She came back really dedicated to being in school, really wanting to be here, and she just took off from there. This is our
big show
.

MORALES:After five months of rehearsals,
the show must go on
.
Ruby
wears her new confidence well in the classroom and onstage.

RUBY:Welcome to our vaudeville show!

MORALES:Like any good vaudeville show, there are some magic tricks.

Unidentified Girl #1:One, two, three.

MORALES:A few jokes.

RUBY:Why are elephants so wrinkled?

Unidentified Girl #2:I don't know, why are elephants so wrinkled?

RUBY:Have you ever tried to iron one?

MORALES:And a lot of song and dance. Then the parents in the audience get a
special treat
, and there's
not a dry eye in the house
.

KEYTHE:Thank you. I love you.

MORALES:A perfect way to close the curtains on second grade.

ANN:She reminds me every day that, you know, everything that I'm working hard for is really for her and that she's giving it to me in return is -- you know, I think that's
what we all want
, really, there's nothing better.

MORALES:She's growing up so fast. And to find out more about
Ruby
and the rest of the
CLASS OF2020
, you can follow all of their stories since kindergarten on a special
Web page
dedicated to the series at todayshow.com. Coming up next, a treat for your feet. How to get a salon pedicure at home, right after this.