Erin Gruwell, "The President of the Freedom Writers" gave a inspirational presentation at Delta College on October 5th, 2011. I feel much honored to hear her story in person as well as in film. Erin grew up in New Port Beach, California and moved to Long Beach to become a freshman teacher. Walking in to the school she was about to teach at she walked in to a world like no other world. Where there was war between races and gangs. She was about to take on 150 lowest students. Beginning these students weren't looking to learn about Shakespeare but looking for survival. Gruwell began to teach about how the gang violence was related to the Holocaust and taught about violence but in a way to have fun. After playing "the line game" this showed each of the other students that because a different race they are all the same in a way. Such as every student in the class was poor but only one girl stood up to be homeless worrying day after day how she is going to get food in her stomach and where she is going to lay her head down at night. Gruwell started "A Toast for Change" and had each student take a fancy glass full of sparkling apple cider and had them to her why they want to change. One of the students raised her glass and said "To not become pregnant by the age of 16 and how she doesn't want to end up like her father and he is in prison."
Gruwell had a heart for each student. She got each student a diary to write what has happened, or what is happening just about their life. Each student through out the school year began to share their stories with her. She knew there is something about each and everyone of these students and due to the school not providing the work materials needed Erin went out herself to raise the money to buy these students the books they deserve. Room 203 was no longer a day in English class it was more for these students. This is where they feel comfortable and felt like a family in the classroom. Towards the end of the year Erin had each of the students type their diaries and she binded them all together and sent them off like a message in a bottle she stated throughout the nation. Everyone was rejected expect one. Freedom writers was published in 1999 and became number 1 in America. The students was also awarded the Anne Frank Award in New York City.
Many of Erin Gruwell's students were the first in their families to receive a high school diploma but also to get a college education. Today her and one of her students travel around and tells her stories across America. Today "The Freedom Writers" is now a movie staring Hilary Swank as Erin Gruwell. At first they didn't want to make a movie but of where the screenwriter came from and he knew he could make it real. He went through 25 drafts until the movie was perfect for the actual students from room 203 and Gruwell. They also wanted real kids to play the roles of the students. They auditioned 10,000 teens across the nation for the roles of the students and these kids came from being poor and Juvenal homes. In the movie a young man was homeless and because of this movie, the money he received bought a house for him and his parents and another kid put his alcoholic mother in rehab. The entire movie is 98% real and based on what Erin Gruwell and her students story was.
After participating in Erin Gruwell's presentation today made me more appreciated of what she has done for all these kids. Her story hit me hard and I don't even have it as bad as all the students in her classroom. She is a very great and empowering woman. She makes me want to take on the role of teaching and be an inspiration to kids. From her presentation today she stated "Everyone has a story and we should all go home and write our own story because only us can write or tell the ending. She was one teacher with 150 students and she was one student with 150 teachers."
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