Two wonderful speeches by Sir Ken Robinson who discusses the very ethos of the importance of creativity in schools- please watch and discuss!

ACCEPTED – (2006) PG 13, Comedy
When Bartleby Gaines gets rejected by every school he applies to, he takes matters into his own hands and creates one himself. Welcome to the South Harmon Institute of Technology.

Starring: Justin Long (Dreamland), Columbus Short (The Losers), Blake Lively (Gossip Girl), Jonah Hill (Moneyball), Lewis Black (Man of the Year), Maria Thayer (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Kellan Lutz (Twilight series)

B and his friends inadvertently started something amazing, a place where students, who would be forced to conform anywhere else, are able to be who they are and pursue their interests. Whether it is Art, Culinary, or Meditation, they have it all.

I found it incredibly easy to relate to B, the lead, in his quest to find his calling. A quest we can all remember, in fact, some of us are still on it, and that makes it so much easier to be invested in this film.

When this movie came out I had just decided to go to film school and was getting some comments about what a waste of time and money it was, how I was basically throwing my life away by taking a course that wasn’t “Practical”. This movie helped me realize that if I didn’t do it, I’d be cheating myself out of a learning experience that went way beyond a classroom. That creativity is as important in education as literacy, without some sort of creative drive, you’re destined to become a mindless drone of the 9-5. I needed to fully embrace my creativity, just like everyone should be given the chance to. In the film, South Harmon was that chance. Without it, these kids may not have reapplied to any colleges the following year, getting rejected from everywhere they applied could have completely shattered their confidence. Instead, they were giving a school tailored to them, with a curriculum they chose themselves, providing them with self-worth and a drive to succeed.

I think that if this sort of college were actually around, that students were given the option of taking a year off after graduation to attend, to figure out what they wanted from life, and who they are, the courses they choose to study afterwards will more closely resemble their interests.

If you have a child nearing their graduating year, are one yourself, are trying to find out where you belong, or are just looking for a really solid movie, I suggest checking out Accepted. The script is well written, everyone’s comedic timing is spot on and this group of friends really seem to be a group of friends. Watching this, I guarantee you’ll be saying to each other “I can totally see you/me/us doing that!”

I feel this movie helped inform some of the decisions I have made, and it is one that I go back to quite regularly. It is a true example of Individuality and creativity surpassing what is perceived as normal and excelling in its non-conformity. Also, watch for one of the best monologues I’ve heard in a long while.

When the world is an open book, sometimes the best place to be is between the lines.

To find out more information on ACCEPTED click here

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