Writing Our Future: American Creed, a youth publishing website by the National Writing Project that accompanies the PBS documentary American Creed, is live. Through stories set in big cities, small towns, and rural areas around the country, American Creed wrestles with key challenges facing American youth today, including creating economic opportunity and finding ways to meaningfully participate in civic life. The film encourages youth to explore questions like “What should America’s national ideals be?” and “How do we close the gap between ideals and reality?” American Creed is co-produced by Citizen Film and WTTW.
Much like NWP’s successful Letters to the Next President 2.0 project in 2016, which engaged upwards of 20,000 students across the country, educators and the youth they work with are invited to add their voice to the conversation about American Creed. Bring the film to a classroom or learning center, and support young people in responding through writing, art, and media. Teens (13+) and young adults are invited to share their responses on the National Writing Project’s American Creed youth publishing website.
How to Get Involved
- Visit the Writing Our Future: American Creed website to see published responses and learn how to participate.
- Work the film into your curriculum. We invite educators to use the film in whatever way fits your local curriculum and youth’s interests. Adapt the prompts to your context and teaching style.
- In order to support youth in preparing their writing and to learn how to manage the publishing process, review the Guidelines for Educators and register.
- There are five prompts available for youth to write in response to American Creed as well as Guidelines for Writers that can be downloaded and shared.
- Educators can also find a range of resources to support teaching and even “visit classrooms” of other teachers already using American Creed.
- Follow on social media at #AmericanCreedPBS.