Thomas Paine – Author of Common Sense

Welcome to Common Sense Kids – an initiative inspired by history addressing “common sense” issues in today’s schools – for students, by students.

Common Sense Kids began when 4th grade teacher, Cortney Campbell of Warren T. Jackson Elementary in Atlanta, GA, sought out to motivate her students with a persuasive writing topic she knew they would love.

What occurred over the next few months was something that neither she nor her class could have ever imagined!

After watching the January, 2012 Apple Education Event and learning for the first time how iPad technology was replacing textbooks in schools, Mrs. Campbell saw a very clever parallel.

As she was teaching her students about the American Revolution and Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense: 1776” the idea clicked!

Campbell asked her students to write a new “Common Sense,” persuading their audience on why digital textbook technology should be included in elementary schools as well. The best part was that she said that they would send their hand-written “Common Sense: 2012” to Apple when they were finished!

The kids loved it and the idea grew. After creating a presentation from the essays, the project won a school grant to produce our first “Common Sense Kids” movie. Our movie, produced and filmed by Mrs. Campbell’s husband, founder of TINT Studios, would go on to get the attention of executives at McGraw-Hill Publishing and Apple, bringing great fulfillment and excitement to the kids and the project.

In November of 2012, Mrs. Campbell was invited to present our movie to hundreds of Apple employees, receiving a standing ovation! We have also received dozens of emails from kids and teachers all over the country who agree with us and our mission- to empower kids to unite their voices for change in our schools!

Kids have incredible influence, and the Common Sense Kids project proves it. The future of the CSK generation is so bright! This is only the beginning.