In 1999, Director Davis Guggenheim and Producers Julia Schachter and Senain Kheshgi undertook an ambitious project documenting the challenging first year experiences of public school teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Two films were the result: Peabody Award winning documentary The First Year (78 min.) which premiered on PBS (www.pbs.org/firstyear) and TEACH (35 min.), a powerful teacher recruitment tool.
        TEACH and The First Year document emotional journeys, raising issues of public education through intimate portrayals of young teachers at the start of their careers. They address the tremendous need for qualified teachers nationwide and aim to inspire a new generation of teachers. Through a license with Creative Commons, TEACH is available online for the first time.