"...I have changed my attitude, I see myself accomplishing my goals and being a future college student...."
- Student, Jackie Robinsons Middle School, Long Beach, CA

Erin’s story tracks an idealistic young woman who actually believed in her high-school English students, most of whom had been written off by the education system. Aside from Erin, nobody thought these "troubled" kids would even graduate high school. But Erin encouraged them to become much more. She forced them to question long-held racial stereotypes, address their deepest struggles, and -- ultimately – re-chart their futures. With Erin's support, they chose to forego teenage pregnancy, drugs, alcohol, and violence to become friends, storytellers, published writers, college students, and hopeful young adults. Their story earned Erin and her students dozens of awards, including the Spirit of Anne Frank Award. In January 2007, Paramount Pictures released the feature film Freedom Writers to national acclaim, starring two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank as Erin.

Erin has been credited with giving her students a “second chance,” but it was perhaps she who changed the most during her tenure as a high school English teacher. Today, her impact as a “teacher” extends well beyond the classroom. She serves as president of the Freedom Writers Foundation, a non-profit organization that impacts communities by decreasing high school drop out rates through the replication and enhancement of the Freedom Writers Method.

The California State PTA invites Teachers, Administrators and Staff to attend this dynamic presentation at the

Sixth General Meeting
Sunday, May 4, 2008
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Long Beach Convention Center
300 E Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802

TO REGISTER, SIGN UP ONLINE

Information

• Teachers, Administrator, and Staff need to check in before entering general meeting at the check in table to receive ID. No admittance without ID.
• This complementary registration is for General Meeting ONLY.

Contact Information:

Janice Sawyer, Convention Program Chairman
Phone Number: 916.440.1985 x320
Email: program@capta.org

Convention Downloads

2007 Adopted Resolutions

Many of the materials in this Web site are available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. The Acrobat reader is a free download from Adobe Software.