Freedom Writers (9/9) Movie CLIP - We Mattered (2007) HD

Summary

In this inspiring transcript, a speaker urges students not to use external factors as excuses for their potential, acknowledging their achievements thus far and the opportunity to graduate. The speaker introduces a final project that encourages the students to compile their diaries into a book, akin to Anne Frank's, symbolizing their voices and experiences. With the support of a businessman who donated computers, the students are empowered to tell their stories, emphasizing their significance and the impact they've made on each other, even if their work remains unpublished.

Takeaways

• 🚫 Avoid using excuses for not achieving success, as everyone in the room has made it to their junior year and has the potential to graduate.
• 🎓 Recognize the significance of being the first in your family to go to college and the responsibility and opportunity it represents.
• 📚 Emphasize that each individual has the chance to succeed, even if the pace of progress may vary among them.
• 💻 Highlight the generosity of a businessman, John, who donated thirty-five computers to support the students' educational journey.
• 📝 Introduce a final project that involves compiling diaries into a book, inspired by the example of Anne Frank.
• 📖 Empower the students to become writers with their own voices, sharing their unique stories and experiences.
• 🗣️ Encourage the idea that the students' stories matter and should be heard, even if they are not widely published.
• 💼 The project aims to give the students a platform to express themselves and to be recognized for their presence and experiences.
• 🔗 The book will serve as a legacy, a testament to the students' existence and the events they lived through.
• 🤔 Challenge the students to come up with a title for their book, reflecting their collective identity and message.
• 🌟 The project is not just an academic exercise but a transformative experience that can leave a lasting impact on the students' lives.

Q & A

What is the main message the speaker is trying to convey to the audience?

The speaker is encouraging the audience not to use external factors as excuses for their failures and to recognize their own efforts and potential to succeed, especially in terms of education and personal growth.

What does the speaker emphasize about reaching the junior year of college?

The speaker emphasizes that reaching the junior year is a significant achievement that should be acknowledged and that it is a testament to the individual's capabilities and hard work.

Why does the speaker mention that some people in the room may be the first in their family to go to college?

The speaker highlights the importance and the potential impact of being the first in one's family to attend college, suggesting it as a significant milestone that can inspire and change the course for future generations.

What is the final project the speaker is referring to in the script?

The final project involves compiling the students' diaries into a book, similar to the work of Anne Frank, to give them a platform to express their experiences and voices.

Who is the businessman John mentioned in the script, and what did he contribute to the project?

Businessman John is a benefactor who donated thirty-five computers to the project, enabling the students to work on their book and express their stories.

What does the speaker mean when they say 'we were writers with our own voices'?

The speaker is emphasizing that through the project, the students have become authors of their own narratives, giving them a sense of agency and ownership over their stories.

What is the significance of the book being 'something to leave behind'?

The book serves as a legacy, a testament to the students' existence, experiences, and the impact they have made, ensuring that their stories are not forgotten.

What does the speaker imply about the importance of the book even if no one else reads it?

The speaker implies that the act of writing and creating the book is valuable in itself, as it validates the students' experiences and gives them a sense of purpose and accomplishment, regardless of external recognition.

What is the speaker's stance on the possibility of the book being published?

The speaker does not guarantee that the book will be published but suggests that the students have the power to share their work and make it known to others.

What task does the speaker assign to the students at the end of the script?

The speaker asks the students to come up with a title for their book and to define a collective identity or name for themselves as a group of writers.