![]() Land and Spicer, recently returned from California where they and 37 other Freedom Writers participated in The Freedom Writers Foundation's conference and latest book release. Land collaborated with Sauquoit Valley Middle School ELA teacher Tammy Purrington and Spicer worked with Westmoreland school psychologist David Hoffman for nearly a year and a half preparing their stories to be published. Land, who is studying criminal justice and Spicer, who is studying early childhood education, were chosen last year to participate in the Freedom Writers program. Each story is answered with a letter of advice from an original Freedom Writer. In “Dear Freedom Writer,” the next generation of Freedom Writers anonymously shares their struggles with abuse, racism, discrimination, poverty, mental health, imposed borders, LGBTQIA+ identity and police violence. The Freedom Writers program is now a global movement and curriculum that trains teachers, provides scholarships and inspires students to engage in their surroundings and to share their stories of struggle, survival and success. Their book launched a movement that remains incredibly relevant and impactful today. ![]() Inspired by books like Anne Frank’s diary, her students began writing their own diaries, eventually dubbing themselves the Freedom Writers. ![]() The students had been labeled “unteachable”-but Gruwell saw past that, helping each of them to tell their unique stories. The original “The Freedom Writers Diary” was co-authored more than 20 years ago by students in first-year teacher Erin Gruwell’s high school class in Long Beach, CA. Two Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES Career and Technical Education students, Jadyn Land (Sauquoit Valley) and Melissa Spicer (Westmoreland), are among 50 students worldwide whose writing is featured in the recently released “Dear Freedom Writer,” a sequel to the 1999 book “The Freedom Writers Diary."
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