The growing and pervasive presence of technology and media in the lives of children reveals the need for incorporating critical media literacy instruction into the official curriculum of schools. The purpose of this qualitative, narrative study was to examine how American middle school girls experience the documentary film "Girl Rising." "Girl Rising" provides a counter-narrative to persistent forms of media that position girls as objects rather than subjects. The study was designed to address the following research questions: how do media representations influence middle school girls' experiences? How does the film "Girl Rising" influence notions of self-image, identity, and perceived social roles? And, how should critical media literacy be utilized in schools given the pervasive growth of media exposure? Data collection included one-on-one interviews, a film screening experience, and focus groups using a sample of 14 girls from a single middle school. Data analysis revealed essential themes of empowerment related to participants' capacity and willingness to engage harmful media images critically and knowledgeably, the significant impact of role models on the educational outlook of girls, the recognition of felt privilege and gratefulness for their own educational opportunities, a sense of mixed feelings of powerlessness and empowerment from the stories portrayed in the documentary, and finally, perceptions that education is a basic human right--one essential to future success. Themes connecting the issues raised in the film to current issues facing girls in the U.S. included body image issues and educating men and boys on dangerous gender attitudes toward females, including issues of regard and respect. The findings support the need for critical media literacy in official school curriculum to counter the onslaught of images girls are forced to navigate on a daily basis. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]