Ebook: The Freedom Writers diary: how a teacher and 150 teens used writing to change themselves and the world around them

Freshman year, spring 1995 -- II. Ms. Gruwell's diary entry -- Romeo and Juliet : gang rivalry -- Teenage love and running away -- Coping with weight -- Learning about diversity -- Oklahoma bombing -- Farewell to Manzanar : Japanese internment camps -- Overcoming adversity panel -- John Tu : father figure vs. absent father -- Freshman turnaround.;Freshman year, fall 1994 -- I. Ms. Gruwell's diary entry -- First day of school -- Racial segregation at school -- Getting "jumped" -- Race riot on campus -- Buying a gun -- Death of a friend -- Gang initiation -- "Rushing" a sorority -- Tagging -- Proposition 187 : discrimination -- Dyslexia -- Juvenile hall -- The projects -- Russian roulette.;Junior year-spring 1997 -- VI. Ms. Gruwell's diary entry -- Anne Frank's friends visit -- Masking fears -- Living in the projects -- Dyslexia -- Letter from Miep -- Student editing -- Abortion -- Catalysts for change -- Freedom Riders -- An American diary ... voices from an undeclared war -- Fund-raiser concert -- Freedom Writer poem -- Freedom Writers unite -- Strict father -- Arlington Cemetery -- Lincoln Memorial : Freedom Writers have a dream -- Covering up the swastika -- Hate crimes -- Holocaust Museum -- Dr. Mengele's experiment with twins -- Dinner with Secretary Riley -- "Stand" -- Secretary Riley receives Freedom Writers' diary -- Candlelight vigil -- Departing D.C. -- Returning a family hero -- Jeremy Strohmeyer : murder -- David Cash -- Peace march for Sherrice Iverson -- Senior Class President -- Separation anxiety -- Staying together.;Senior year, spring 1998 -- VIII. Ms. Gruwell's diary entry -- GUESS? Sponsorship -- Spirit of Anne Frank Award -- New York City roommates -- Celebrating Anne Frank -- Abuse of power -- Peter Maass : the role of a journalist -- Book agent -- Getting published -- Basketball playoffs : teamwork -- A lesson from Animal farm -- Attitude adjustment -- Introducing Senator Barbara Boxer -- Attention deficit disorder -- Homosexuality -- Prom queen -- "Whoever saves one life saves the world entire" -- Breaking the cycle -- Football all-American -- Baseball dilemma -- A college acceptance -- Fear of abandonment -- Teenage pregnancy -- Southwest Airlines -- Computers for college! -- The giving tree : crackhead parents -- Graduation class speaker -- From drugs to honors -- Overcoming the odds -- Graduation!;Junior year, fall 1996 -- V. Ms. Gruwell's diary entry -- Racist teacher -- A grandmother's death -- Race riot -- Grade accountability -- Suicide -- Running away -- Getting a job -- Misogyny -- Molestation -- Boyfriend abuse -- Domestic violence -- Child abuse -- Death of brother.;Senior year, fall 1997 -- VII. Ms. Gruwell's diary entry -- Cheryl Best : inspiration -- "Eviction notice" -- Financial problems -- Illegal immigrant -- The first Latina Secretary of Education -- Pursuing filmmaking -- Road not taken : contemplating college -- Finding a mentor -- Being a mentor -- Los Angeles Times article -- A letter from prison -- Deadbeat dad -- Sorority hazing -- Fear of losing a father -- Death of a mother.;Shocked by the teenage violence she witnessed during the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, Erin Gruwell became a teacher at a high school rampant with hostility and racial intolerance. For many of these students-whose ranks included substance abusers, gang members, the homeless, and victims of abuse-Gruwell was the first person to treat them with dignity, to believe in their potential and help them see it themselves. Soon, their loyalty towards their teacher and burning enthusiasm to help end violence and intolerance became a force of its own. Inspired by reading The Diary of Anne FrankThe Freedom Writers Diary Proceeds from this book benefit the Freedom Writers Foundation, an organization set up to provide scholarships for underprivieged youth and to train teachers From the Trade Paperback edition.;Sophomore year-fall 1995 -- III. Ms. Gruwell's diary entry -- Homelessness -- Cystic fibrosis -- Shyness -- Twelve angry men -- Honors English -- Medieval Times -- Lesson on tolerance -- Toast for change -- Change for the better -- Testifying in murder case -- Teenage alcoholism -- Shoplifting -- Anne Frank's diary -- Teen diarists -- Zlata's diary, Bosnia vs. L.A. riots -- Peter Maass : article on Bosnia -- Zlata.;Sophomore year-spring 1996 -- A Letter to Zlata -- IV. Ms. Gruwell's diary entry -- Meeting a Holocaust survivor -- The woman who sheltered Anne Frank's family -- "Moment" -- Zlata accepts our invitation -- Dinner with Zlata -- Diverse friendships -- "I am a human being" -- Terrorism -- Day of tolerance : a field trip -- Doing speed -- Basketball for Bosnia : weight -- Zlata's letter -- Divorce -- Friends join class -- Letter from Miep.