PINEVILLE, KY, April 17 — Earlier this month, the Upper Cumberland Community Foundation (UCCF) awarded a $10,000 arts and culture grant to Pineville Independent Schools. This grant will be used in conjunction with funding from Innovative Approaches to Literacy to host a two-day Freedom Writers workshop for middle and high school students in the district. The grant was made possible by an anonymous donor who is passionate about supporting arts education in the Upper Cumberland area.
The Freedom Writers workshop will include a screening of the 2007 “Freedom Writers” film, starring Hilary Swank and Patrick Dempsey. This film tells the true story of a group of students in Long Beach, California who begin to journal their experiences with violence and adversity under the direction of their teacher, Erin Gruwell. Gruwell is the founder of the Freedom Writers Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing educators with tools to empower all students to succeed through interactive workshops.
After watching the “Freedom Writers” film and attending a school-wide assembly featuring two original Freedom Writers, students will have the opportunity to attend smaller three-hour workshops with the Freedom Writers to learn more about memoir and personal narrative writing. Each participating student will also receive their own copy of “The Freedom Writers Diary,” an inspiring book compiling diary entries from the Freedom Writers.
“We are so excited to provide this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to our students. Having two of the original students from the Freedom Writers foundation to speak with our students and provide writing workshops will have an immeasurable impact on them individually and our community as a whole,” said Jennifer Yankey, a teacher with Pineville Independent Schools. Yankey expressed gratitude for UCCF, saying the event wouldn’t have been possible without their sponsorship.
The Upper Cumberland Community Foundation is an affiliate of the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky. UCCF serves Bell, Clay, Knox, Laurel, and Whitley Counties by providing leadership, building a culture of giving, and supporting nonprofit organizations and agencies. They have a strong, active board and have developed credibility in the communities that they serve.
To learn more about the Upper Cumberland Community Foundation, visit https://www.appalachianky.org/communities/uccf/.
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