A TikToker started a popular weekly watch party so her teacher doesn't have to host lonely movie nights

• A high school teacher wanted to keep his students connected during distance learning, so he started a weekly movie night.
• During the first one, only three out of 32 students joined the Zoom call.
• One student, Kayla Hernds, posted a video on TikTok where she shared her disappointment that so few people attended, which gained 13 million views.
• The video led Hernds to start a weekly watch party that anyone can join.

When Kayla Hernds' AP art history teacher decided to host a weekly movie night, Hernds planned to attend every one.

"What else are you going to do? You're just at home, online," the 17-year-old told Insider.

So when Hernds logged onto Zoom for the first one, she expected to be greeted by many of her 32 classmates.

Instead, it was just her and her teacher, Richard Heilemann. As the minutes ticked by, one other student joined. Eventually, another classmate logged on halfway through the movie.

Shocked by the low turnout, Hernds filmed and posted part of the event on TikTok to share her disappointment.

Her video quickly gained 13 million views and resonated with an audience of students and educators who are struggling with the challenges of virtual learning.

In response to the video, Hernds has spent the past few weeks designing a movie night that anyone can join, and it's already gotten decent traction.

Only three out of 32 students joined for the first Monday Movie

Hernds' high school, South El Monte High School, in California, has a virtual, quarterly schedule.

So Hernds and her 31 AP art history classmates started the year off together. In mid-October, their class paused for two months.

Heilemann told Insider that he was searching for a way to keep the students connected, so he decided to host an art-themed movie night every Monday.

Called Monday Movie, at 4:30 p.m. students could watch movies, like "The Agony and the Ecstacy" and "Girl with a Pearl Earring," together.

The past 16 years of teaching have taught Heilemann not to get his hopes up, he said. So he wasn't surprised or disappointed when only three students joined the first one.

"I try to keep my expectations really mild," Heilemann told Insider. "I know that there are so many demands being made on their time."

Hernds, on the other hand, was deeply disappointed when she was one of the only students to join, she said.

"He's so sweet. He's so positive. It doesn't even seem like it was bothering him," she said. "It bothers me because he's so nice. I don't know why other people wouldn't show up."

The high school student posted a video of the movie night on TikTok, where it gained 13 million views

Hernds said she decided to upload the video to highlight the challenges teachers face with virtual learning.

"I wanted them to know that teachers are really important," she said. "When they're trying to support you, you should support them."

Hernds said she was shocked as millions of people watched and liked the video.

Hernds sent Heilemann an email sharing the viral TikTok. The subject line was, "Movie Night is FAMOUS."

Heilemann said it's been hard to wrap his mind around just how many people have watched the video.

"It was just a few seconds of a poignant glimpse into how education feels right now: Distant," he said.

The viral video led Hernds to start a weekly watch party where people from all over the world can join

The comments on TikTok sparked an idea: make Monday Movie available to everyone.

On the second movie night, Hernds started a Discord chat that anyone could join.

She estimated between 400 and 500 people sporadically hopped in and out of the conversation as they watched "Girl with a Pearl Earring."

Both Hernds and Heilemann told Insider this will be a positive memory they won't forget

Hernds said she's still finding the best format to host the movie night.

Whether worldwide movie nights take off or not, Heilemann said he's just glad more of his own students have joined Monday Movies.

Last week, six people joined the Zoom video call — twice as many from the first one.

He added that he'll remember this year as "the year that Kayla made Monday Movie famous."

Hernds, similarly, won't forget this.

"I'm really happy," Hernds said. "I know that my teacher, he'll probably remember this for the rest of his life, and I'll probably remember this for the rest of my life. It made me happy that I made an impact."

If you're a teacher, student, or parent who wants to share their story on what it's like to go back to school right now, get in touch at mhumphries@insider.com.

• Read more:
• TikTokers in college are turning on their cameras in Zoom lectures so their professors don't have to teach to blank screens
• From a shark costume to a grammar Grandma, teachers are sharing TikTok videos that show how much energy is required to engage students during virtual classes
• Inside teachers' first week back in US classrooms: Nerves, disorganization, and exhaustion