In this article, the author shares the success he experienced when he used some of aspects of "This I Believe" series in his classroom. Started in the 1950s and resurrected on National Public Radio (NPR) a few years ago, "This I Believe" is a series of statements of core beliefs from people of all backgrounds and ages: celebrities, politicians, athletes, musicians, farmers, secretaries, waitresses. The essays cover hundreds of themes and range from professional pieces of writing to middle school-level emotional ramblings. The author selected a small range of essays to serve as touchstones for students, reading them aloud and allowing brief discussions and critiques afterward. His students were excited and frequently called each other or himself over to their desk to share a particularly "good" essay, many of which they printed out to keep or reread.