2003 Conference Highlights
HIGHLIGHTS
Erin Gruwell
Inspirational Educator
Closing Session Keynote Speaker
Sunday Afternoon, July 18, 2004
Erin Gruwell accomplished what many thought impossible. She helped 150 of her students, many of whom had been written off by the education system, realize the power of education and the value of tolerance and diversity in the classroom. With Gruwell's guidance and encouragement, the Freedom Writers, several of whom once believed they were "unteachable" and "sure-to-drop-out," have graduated from high school, written a book, and are now pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees.
"In the beginning I was pretty naïve and did not know a lot about working with at-risk teens," she says. "I knew that I could see past color and culture, but I did not know how to get to the hearts of these young people. So, I gave them a pen and told them to share their experiences through the art of writing. Through writing, my students discovered tolerance and respect for one another.
Gruwell's commitment to teaching tolerance and her unique vision have attracted national media attention. She and her students have appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, ABC's Good Morning America, Prime Time Live with Connie Chung, Barbara Walters' The View and CSPAN's Book TV. Dozens of newspapers, magazines, and radio stations, including the Los Angeles Times, People Magazine and NPR have publicized Gruwell and the Freedom Writers' journey in the classroom and beyond. Miramax Films will release a feature film based on the Freedom Writers' story in 2005.
Gruwell has won numerous teaching and humanitarian awards, including the Spirit of Anne Frank Award, the Long Beach Unified School District Teacher of the Year, the Long Beach PTA Teacher of the Year, the Credential Counselors and Analysts California Teacher of the Year, KNBC Crystal Apple Award, KCBS What's Right With Southern California, the American Jewish Committee Micah Award, the 100 Black Men Award in Education, the National Conference of Community and Justice Human Relations Award, the Junior Chamber of Commerce California Outstanding Educator Award, and the Harvard-Radcliffe Association Educator 2000 Award.
She founded and is president of the Erin Gruwell Education Project, a non-profit organization devoted to teaching tolerance, funding college scholarships for underprivileged students, and propagating their vision for revolutionizing education for "at-risk" students. She also created and led the "Ambassadors of Tolerance Tour," which took the Freedom Writers to visit Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, Anne Frank's attic in Amsterdam, and war-torn Sarajevo.
A 1991 graduate of the University of California, Irvine, Gruwell was honored as one of UCI's Top 30 Graduates and recently received UCI's prestigious "Lauds and Laurels Award" for outstanding graduates. Gruwell earned her masters degree in English Literature and her teaching credential from California State University, Long Beach. She is now bringing her energy and dedication to her position as a Distinguished Teacher in Residence at CSULB in the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Education.
