Shelley Reid's concept that a writer should be passionate and connected to their writing. Throughout the film, students were asked to write anything they wanted in their journals. Most, if not all, students write about the challenges they have faced in their lives and their impact. For example, a girl begins the film talking about how gangs have been a part of her life since she was a child. Many students don't want to do the assignment at first, but eventually they all start writing in their journals daily. Additionally, students later write letters to Meip Geis, who helped Anne Frank and her family, about what they think of the book or any researched topic. Whenever the students in the film had to write, they were always interested in the topic or had a personal connection to what they wrote