Success Begins with the Original Freedom Writers of Room 203

In 1998, 150 Freedom Writers walked across a graduation stage to claim their high school diploma, a feat that few people thought would happen, but their educational journey did not stop there. The Freedom Writers went on to college to earn credentials, bachelors degrees, masters degrees, and some are even pursuing PhDs.

Today, these remarkable young adults are not only giving back to the community in which they grew up, but also reaching out to communities across America, helping to spread the Freedom Writer message. While some Freedom Writers are now teachers themselves, many others help to lead and organize nation-wide teacher training workshops with one idea in mind… to teach others to write what needs to be written.

Participating Schools and Programs

The Freedom Writers methodology is being used in classrooms all across the country. From teachers in the Freedom Writers’ own backyard of Long Beach, CA to teachers as far away as Boston and New York and Toronto, The Freedom Writers Diary and Freedom Writers Method has been incorporated into curriculums everywhere. Currently, the Freedom Writer Teachers are thirty-two strong, but with your help, that number will grow exponentially.  We would like you to meet a few of our Freedom Writer Teachers…

Booker T. Washington High School – Atlanta, Georgia

Two English teachers, one literacy coach, and an assistant principal at this school share one thing in common: they not only believe in the Freedom Writer methodology, but they believe in the future of their students. Following in the footsteps of the original Freedom Writers of Woodrow Wilson High School, 150 Junior Freedom Writers are proving not only to others, but also to themselves, that they have what it takes to succeed.

De La Salle Education Center – Kansas City, Missouri

Two Freedom Writer Teachers teach at the De La Salle Education Center. After a training session at our Freedom Writer workshop, they have gone back into the trenches at their own school and have taught the ways of Erin Gruwell and the Freedom Writers to their fellow colleagues and they, in turn, will teach their students.

Dunbar Middle School – Forth Worth, Texas

After experiencing the Freedom Writer workshop first hand, this Freedom Writer Teacher is in the beginning stages of forming her own Junior Freedom Writers group, which in time, will consist of 50 students. After attending the Freedom Writer workshop, she told us that “my life is changed forever, and each encounter with all of you is surreal…your capacity for an educational and moral revolution is being realized person-by-person and heart-by-heart.”

Grover Washington, Jr. Middle School – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This school’s Freedom Writer Teacher has received nationwide recognition for his teaching style and for his ability to reach his students on various levels. While a series of articles in the Philadelphia Inquirer has chronicled the achievements of his class, it also points to The Freedom Writers Diary as one of the core elements used in his curriculum.

Chico High School – Chico, California

Our Freedom Writer Teacher from Chico High School puts so much heart and soul into his profession. Inspired by the Freedom Writer’s story, this teacher founded the Students of Unlimited Leadership Program (SOUL Program). The SOUL Program takes value in mentoring, community service, and second chances, and has also been featured in local papers, such as the Chico News Review.

Worsley School; Fresno Juvenile Hall – Fresno, California

Everyone deserves a second chance, and that is exactly what our humble Freedom Writer Teacher from Fresno does. He has an enormous heart and wants so much to see his students succeed; he instills in his kids that they do, in fact, matter and that they make a difference each and every day. He has used The Freedom Writers Diary in his classroom since its release date in 1999. This teacher has been written about in the Fresno Bee newspaper and he received the Fresno County Teacher of the Year for his hard work and dedication to his students.

Charles R. Drew Charter School – Atlanta, Georgia

Inspired by the Freedom Writer’s story, the Freedom Writer Teacher at this school has created an educational group of his own, called the Waller Scholars. In his classroom, The Freedom Writers Diary is used on a consistent basis and elements of journaling and poetry writing often stand at the forefront of the curriculum.

Young Ambassadors Academy – Ontario, OR

Now in its fourth year of holding a week-long program led by Freedom Writers themselves, Ontario Middle School embodies the vision of helping their students succeed and reach towards higher education. Each workshop, which is hand crafted solely by Freedom Writers, covers the bases of acceptance, journal writing, and traditional Freedom Writer activities.

Fredrick Douglas Academy VI – Queens, NY

Fredrick Douglas Academy VI is a small school, with only about 150 – 180 students. Our Freedom Writer Teacher teaches 10th grade English and was a participant in the first cycle of teachers at the 2000 Freedom Writer Teacher Institute. Before attending the Freedom Writer teacher workshop, he was unsure of his career choice, and had considered quitting the field altogether. After attending the workshop, he returned to his classroom with a newfound passion for his students. He has successfully replicated the Freedom Writers Method and has helped his students raise their grades and attendance records.

Impact

“We really enjoyed reading your book. It made us realize that we should never give up no matter what. It also made us realize that we should never judge someone by the color of their skin or how they look. Some of the diary entries could actually be connected to our lives. Well, thanks again for showing us a way to express our feelings and share life experiences with others.”
- Student, Marshall Middle School, Long Beach, CA

"I can always teach folks how to manage their classrooms, but I can't teach them how to lovetheir students more, or how to have that passion to improve the human condition. But when I see young teachers like Erin Gruwell, who have that passion, I know that the future is in good

hands."

-David Willard, Superintendent, Portland, OR

“My kids have gone from being apathetic about school to being actively engaged. Without Erin Gruwell And the FW institute, I would not have had the tools to reach them.
- JP Perdergnana, Teacher Frederick Douglass Academy, Far Rockaway, NY