Twenty years ago a fearless young teacher and her high school students, 150 strong and calling themselves the Freedom Writers, traveled from Long Beach, CA, to Washington, DC, to speak with then Secretary of Education, Richard Riley. Relegated to the lowest rung of the educational ladder and quite often on the receiving end of instructional indifference, most of these teenagers had entered high school fairly certain that graduation four years later wasn’t on the agenda. In the words of one young man, “We were jaded and pissed off and we were just so done with education.” Then they met Erin Gruwell, a first-year teacher who was determined to make a difference. They headed to Washington to share personal stories that included gang and gun violence, incarceration, sexual abuse, poverty, and homelessness, stories they recorded in journals given to them by Gruwell, who believed in the power of writing. In 1999, a compilation of their stories was published as The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them, and in 2007, a Hollywood film traced their path from likely dropouts to successful students. Today, Gruwell and the Freedom Writers are on the road visiting colleges and other venues to share Freedom Writers: Stories from an Undeclared War, a first-rate documentary that recounts their remarkable transformation. Up-to-date photos and video footage including some of classroom collaborations, experience-expanding field trips, and a post-high school journey to Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina are included in this new film. Their target destination is once again Washington, DC, where Gruwell plans to screen the film on May 5, National Teacher Day, and meet with the current Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. In the documentary, the former students, now adults and college graduates, recall being convinced that the new teacher wouldn’t last a month; they expected the antics of disenfranchised cut-ups to send her home in tears. As Gruwell remembers, “They hated reading, they hated writing, and they hated me.” But she stayed, and she found a way into their hearts. Gruwell built community through innovative classroom exercises that encouraged tolerance among the various self-segregated ethnic and racial groups; the teens gradually discovered that they had more in common than they ever imagined. Lifting plastic champagne glasses filled with sparkling cider, they made a “toast for change,” promising themselves and each other that they were capable of success regardless of family and personal history. In one particularly moving segment, Maria Reyes, who at age 14 entered freshman year on parole and wearing an ankle monitor, shares how the experience of reading Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, and being supported by a caring teacher and classmates, brought her from the edge of despair to a place of hope. These achievements didn’t come easily, and the process took time. Gruwell managed to convince administrators to let her move up the grades with her students for their entire high school careers.  Though she claims she’s just “an ordinary teacher who had an extraordinary experience,” Gruwell is a serene powerhouse whose inspirational account is worth sharing. For many of us, that kind of persistent devotion might not be sustainable over the long haul, but Gruwell’s documentary validates the power of empathy, high expectations, and perseverance. While we debate the impact of standardized testing and the causes of high drop-out rates, she reminds us that if we listen to what kids really need and provide the proper support, all students, no what their circumstances, just might get the education they deserve. Related resources: Freedom Writers: Stories from an Undeclared War (the documentary, release date, to be announced). A Vimeo trailer is available, password: freedom). Directed by Daniel Anker. The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them. Erin Gruwell. Broadway Books, 1999. The Freedom Writers Diary: Teacher's Guide. Erin Gruwell and the Freedom Writers Foundation. Broadway Books, 2007. Teach with Your Heart: Lessons I Learned from the Freedom Writers. Erin Gruwell. Broadway Books, 2007. Freedom Writers. Paramount Pictures, 2005. www.freedomwritersfoundation.org