Since 2018, the Morehead Writing Project has partnered with the National Writing Project (NWP) to support student discussions of ideas and history in the powerful documentary film, American Creed. Deanna Mascle and Seth Thatcher (as well as other Kentucky Writing Project teachers) have used American Creed with their writing students for years.
This year, PBS LearningMedia will launch new films that use documentary photography and persuasive writing to explore American ideals. Funded by a National Writing Project grant and supported by a partnership with KQED, MoreheadWP will support teachers as they explore what students see as the greatest challenges facing their communities and our democracy, and prospective solutions – as they develop their own photo essays. KQED will offer a publishing platform for student work as part of their national Youth Media Challenge.
What might this look like? Check out these youth-produced photo essays that are part of the American Creed: Citizen Power project:
- Jonathan Blair’s “Coming Up in These Mountains“
- Trinity Colón’s “Slag Valley”
- Sam Schimmel’s “Salmon Tales“
This work could be integrated into a classroom project across multiple content areas or for a special interest club. The focus is on exploring what it means to be American. Since 2018, the American Creed multiformat PBS project has traveled the country sharing place-stories of Americans who come from different backgrounds and have different life experiences but share a passion for improving their communities. Their stories come together to explore questions of citizenship, community and civic ideals.
A new collection of American Creed films is being rolled out by PBS LearningMedia that open a door into the lives of young people from communities across the nation. Their stories provide powerful inspiration for a new photo essay project for back to school and beyond. Photo essays are an engaging entry point for middle and high school media makers across subject areas. American Creed “viewfinder” photo essays invite young people to use images and words to tell the story of an issue they care about in their community.
If you are interested in joining this work and offering your students a national publishing opportunity supported by curriculum materials developed by the National Writing Project reach out to Eric Morris of the Morehead Writing Project. If you are not yet a National Writing Project teacher leader ask Eric about the opportunities available to join this work.