Okemos High School

American Literature with Mrs. Reed

Students in American Literature in Mrs. Reed's courses

Education in America

Why education has been and is still a strong aspect of our American culture.

How the American Dream Has Changed

A video on how the American Dream has changed over time.

American Citizenship

We researched the process of naturalization through the lives of our family members and other people with similar stories.

The Vitality of American Entertainment and Sports

Exploring how entertainment is a vital part of the United States of America and her culture.

Creed

My grandpa's American dream.

Core American Values

What are the values that we share as Americans?

American Creed

This essay is about politics and media in the United States of America.

Impoverished Education

How does your community's wealth affect the quality of education?

American Creed Interview

Inspired by the American Creed documentary, we decided to make our own version by interviewing people of different ages, races and gender to get the diverse views of students at our high school. We found many commonalities and many differences among Americans.

Immigration Stories

These immigration stories are supposed to see the point of view of immigrants. It's supposed to help you understand their struggles.

To Be American

Poem

America from an Immigrant's Perspective

For our American Creed project, we decided to interview our parents, who are immigrants, and showcase their ideas around what it is to be American.

Our Historical Journey to America

Nick Balesky and I compare and share our grandparents adventures from Europe to Michigan today.

American Teamwork

Our piece talks about teamwork in America, unity, and how it should be more valued in our country

American Education

American education is essential to achieving the American dream and it molds our American values into what they are today. Getting a good education helps get you a better job and better quality of life. American education makes us into who we are.

Gen-Z

What is Gen-Z?

Immigration

A family's Immigration story.

Inequality in American Education

In this article I discuss inequalities that plague American education.

Land of the Free as Symbolic as Can Be

Symbols show up on our lives everyday. America has many objects and items that represent the nation and they all have their own meanings and history.

Perseverance and Our American Creed

This explains how perseverance is a key topic in our American creed.

Dear Grandpa

Years after my grandfather passed away I have written a letter to him explaining how his stories have changed my life.

The American Dream Fulfilled

The following work talks about the important values of American creed that exist to this day. There is no doubt that the values written in the nation’s documents are still in use today. By reading this piece, you will discover how well America has kept these values throughout these years.

How is American Creed defined by its members?

A narrative of how my immigrant mother overcame hardships to become American, relating to Gone with the Wind and the Great Gatsby, defining what American Creed is, defined by those whom belong to it.

American Division

We always say we want to be The UNITED States of America. But how true is that?

Our American Creed

I decided to make my poem about my parents and what it took for them to come here. How they see us (my siblings and I) as Pakistani Americans and their perspective on America and what it holds for us.

How do Traditions, Customs, and Holidays Change Through Immigration?

American Creed

American Creed Interviews

For my American Creed project I interviewed people of different races and genders about the issues that America is having today. I made sure to ask everyone the same questions, so I could see the difference in answer. I turned these interviews into a scrapbook:

American Values

This is a piece by a high school student on the core American Values and what his views are on the subject. And it shows how the values affect people, and what experiences have led to the values.

Dear Grandchild

I created a scrapbook which is composed of pictures and letters. I wrote these letters to myself as if I were my grandmother just after moving to the United States. I composed this because in the film, American Creed, Condoleezza Rice said, “It doesn’t matter where you came from, it matters where...

The Future of America

What is your dream? How do you plan to achieve your dream? Do you believe your dream aligns with the American dream?

What America could use

A few things America could use to make the country a better place overall.

Becoming a U.S. Citizen

This passage is about the process of becoming a U.S. citizen and a specific perspective of that process from the eyes of my parents.

The Lost Dream

The United States has lost its common luster known as the American Dream. Through my essay, I explain the problems caused by the parts of the American Dream that have been lost and how those parts affects the American people today.

My Identity Story

This is my identity story on how my ancestors came over to the United States. I'm showing how I ended up where I live today and showing how we all can come from different places and still end up at the same high school.

Privacy in America: How We Have Changed

How has American people's value of privacy been affected by our new technological age?

Discussion on Midterms and other subjects

7 friends have a discussion around the recent midterm elections and their effects on the US moving forward

Our Fiercely Unique Nation

An essay about our individualistic principles.

American Creed: The Significance of Immigration

I had to put the images into chunks so it can show up more clearly. However, there can be words that are still not clear. My poster is basically about immigration. My explanation and reason why this is significant to American Creed is explained below. Please enjoy.

American Creed in Communities

American Creed is found in individuals and in their communities. The values for each group of people is different and unique but all of these values still affect the people around them and create a united country.

Interview with exchange students

I’m an exchange student from Germany and I’m really happy to be here in U.S., but I was wondering was other exchange students think about the U.S. and what they experience are compared to their different background and their different countries.

Is the Immigration Ban Changing Our American Values?

A letter addressing the immigration ban and how it affects our American values.

American Values in the Political Climate of 2018

This is a video conference with teens across the country examining how today's political climate has affected our lives and American Values.

American Creed Video Essay

Thoughts on American Creed as shown by robot.

Family History

To make this paper and further my understanding, I decided to interview my Grandpa to complete this task.

Was Every Man "Created Equal" ?

The Declaration of Independence says that "all Men are created equal". Looking at the treatment of minorities during and after of which it was written, that statement says otherwise.

My Great Grandparents Journey

My grandparents made a great journey to the U.S. to better their lives.

The Immigrant Dream

Immigration has been an integral part of american history since its conception. Although immigration has taken many forms immigrants have always had the same goal, to seize opportunities in order to lead a better life and fulfill their american dream.

Roots

This work is a narrative describing the story of my Great Grandpa Lewis J. Minor and how he and his family came to America from Ireland in order to live the American Dream.

What is the American Dream?

In this project, we interviewed 3 different age groups to see each age groups perception of the American Dream, and how it related to other age groups.

American Culture and Values

Equality For All

Equality is arguably the most important American Creed, in this piece you will read about events that either represent equality or fail to.

The American Creed and its Environment

Could concern for the environment unify the United States?

An American Medley (Poetry)

Composed by Mia Colony and Sydney Stephens. Poems Used: "We Leave To-Night" by F. Scott Fitzgerald and "Growing Up" by E.H. "How Would You Describe America?" is an original poem by Mia Colony and Abe Frank.

How Does Education Connect to Our American Dream?

A Letter to our Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos.

Immigration and the American Dream

Immigration to America changed throughout the decades and this is how.

Why Our Values Are Our Values

How we view the values of others.

Immigration Stories

The story of three different immigrants, and the reasons why they came.

Just world

This piece is about the American dream of equal opportunity. This work is specifically focused on the just world hypothesis and how it leads to the misconception that is the American dream.

Immigration and America

I decided to craft an American Bald Eagle, since it often used to represent America. On it, I put snippets of stories from people who have immigrated to America.

Who's America Is It?

An interview of a family member and a reflection on who runs the country.

The Failure of Our Affirmative Action System

In the United States, affirmative action is used to promote diversity in universities. Universities take race into consideration during their admissions process. But how exactly did we get here? What have people done about this? And should we even keep our current system?

More responses from Michigan

Surprise Me

What It Means To Me To Be American

I talk about what I think it means to be America.

Living in America

In the wake of recent political turmoil in the US, including the 2016 election and movement for gun reform, I wrote this song in attempt to address the loss of respect within national discussions. For it is respect that is fundamental to bringing together such a diverse nation.

A Country of Immigrants

Through the experiences of talking to my mother, who was born and raised and Ukraine, I came to learn an important lesson on what it means to be "American".

American Opportunity

An evaluation of the American stereotype

Mental Creed

How my family and community history has affected my journey for a healthy mindset and personal growth.

Never Alone

In this piece, Viktoria Lamley speaks about the importance of companionship to your everyday happiness. What she learned after an important experience with her pup, and how it sparked her to take a deeper look into things.

Why Our Values Are Our Values

How we view the values of others.

Marching Toward our American Creed

I discuss the ways we can reach the original American Dream by communicating with those with differing backgrounds and beliefs, and by joining together to make our voice stronger. I also discuss how we can become closer to understanding our American Creed by communicating.

Participating for Change

Understanding how citizen participation in politics has changed American society, and its impact on current American issues.

Core American Values

What are the values that we share as Americans?

My American Creed

My piece is about how I believe if you’re determined, you don’t have to be born in America to achieve the American Dream.

The Melting Pot of Family

In this piece I discuss the ideas of chosen families and blood related family in relation to the American melting pot.

More responses about "identity" and "interview"

Surprise Me

Saying the ‘I Believe’: Religion and Our Creeds

For this project, I interviewed the rector at my Episcopalian church. My goal with this project was to explore my own creed through my religion, and hopefully prompt others to do the same.

The Story of an Orzeł Biały

My American Creed consists of letting life take its course, working hard, and always staying connected to my roots and my family. In this video all three parts are going to be demonstrated,showing how my american creed ties into my family.

Ideals in America are but luck and chance, determined by government standards.

My piece talks about the ideals of rags-to-riches and how as a country we might not be able to achieve that because of governmental standards.

The Truth Untold

My essay is about the struggles of being black and gay in america. This is a quick story about my life and how i don't feel like an american.

America Now

Students interviewed and elderly woman and a retired U.S. veteran to learn their American story. Along the way, interviewees shared their wisdom earned through many years of living the American Creed.

My American Creed

This is my story of my American creed and how it has shaped and improved my life.

My Community's American Creed

In this Op-ed I will be explaining My Family's and Community's American creed, stating what it means to me and what it mean to my family and community. I asked a few people about what American creed means to them.

Individuality

The question I chose was how does your family and community history connect to your american creed. This essay reflects on my family, the comforts I was raised in, and how they affected my current struggle to figure out who I am.

What Your Family and Community Really Mean to American Creed

Throughout this essay, I focus on my Irish family history and military community to describe a personal meaning of American Creed, and what life is like in the United States today.

Canadian/American Dream

An interview with my Grandfather who grew up in Italy during World War II, and moved to Canada when he was 18 to live the "American Dream", but in Canada, and his views on how the Ideals and Creeds of western nations have changed since he came over.

American Individuals

How American individualism sets us apart from other nations. For better or for worse.

American Activism

This piece is about why activism is important to American culture and the overall American identity. It explores how older and more recent movements have impacted American history and how they represent American ideals.

Perfect Lies

This is a song about my American Creed.

A Country of Immigrants

Through the experiences of talking to my mother, who was born and raised and Ukraine, I came to learn an important lesson on what it means to be "American".

Immigration Travel Processes

Immigration has changed since Ellis Island travelers first started coming over to America. Today immigrants risk everything to find a safe place to stay. When Ellis Island travelers came over they came for work and to live the American dream.

What is My Identity and What are My Concerns?

How I address what my identity is and what my concerns are, as well as how they are connected to my American Creed.

Do Sports Help Shape Your Identity?

Knowing who you are is important to self development and discovery. I believe that anything people are a part of helps to shape their identity one way or another.

Changes in the American Creed

Interviews of two awesome YHS history teachers with their opinion on what the American Creed is and how it has changed over time based on their knowledge of the history of the United States.

The American Creed: Veteran's Perspective

A brief overview of the American Creed from the perspective of two local military veterans and whether their view of America changed over the course of their service.

My Identity Story

This is my identity story on how my ancestors came over to the United States. I'm showing how I ended up where I live today and showing how we all can come from different places and still end up at the same high school.

Who's America Is It?

An interview of a family member and a reflection on who runs the country.

American Creed: Cultural tradition and immigration

Do you have many different cultural traditions that your family may have brought over to America that are very important to you? Join me in learning how cultural tradition and immigration plays a role in elements of diverse Americans' identity

The Evolution of the American Identity

The American Creed of young Americans today is not the same as that of their parents. What causes these changes, and why is this difference significant to Americans?

American Creeds Future

American identity and culture will be shaped not by the adults, but the children and immigrants that are moving into society.

Writing Our Future: American Creed is part of the National Writing Project’s family of youth publishing projects, all gathered under the Writing Our Future initiative.

Writing Our Future projects are designed by educators for educators and the young people they work with. Intended for use in schools, libraries, and other educational settings. All projects are COPPA compliant and educator-managed. NWP is committed to supporting young people’s writing and civic participation by providing a safe and supportive environment for youth writing, media creation, sharing, and publishing.