motivation has to come from within

written and directed by
Robin Smith

edited by
Jeff Kenton

original music
Michael Josephs

produced in partnership with
BELL National

Building Educated Leaders for Life (BELL) is a mission-driven, multi-cultural nonprofit providing summer and after school programs to children in low-income communities.

“You can’t force any child to learn anything,” says Wednaud Ronelus, a BELL Certified Teacher. “That motivation has to come from within.”

My first year the theme was democracy. We read a book called, “Just Like Martin.” That’s when I started realizing I like reading.

Frankie Ortiz
BELL Scholar 2002-2004
By calling that person a scholar, you’ve already raised their level of expectation way—you know, high. It makes you sit up in your chair a little bit taller. You know? Gives you a little bit of swagger in your walk.

Maurice Nobles
Senior Site Manager, BELL
BELL started as a community service project with a small group of Black and Latino students from Harvard Law School volunteering at a local community center. Over the last two decades it has become a nationally recognized nonprofit, transforming academic achievements, self-confidence, and life trajectories of the 10,000 children it serves annually.

www.experiencebell.org