American Promise

Behind Every Promise takes a behind-the-scenes look at the award-winning documentary American Promise, supplementing select scenes from the film with newly shot video testimonials from Idris Brewster and Seun Summers.

In 'American Promise,' African-American parents Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson film their son and his friend, who attend one of the country’s most prestigious private schools.

Michèle Stephenson and Joe Brewster discuss their film 13 years in the making: American Promise.

Vince Womack has built a high school jazz powerhouse that's helping kids from some of the toughest Los Angeles neighborhoods go to college.

In Milwaukee, Delvyn Crawford teaches men how to be responsible fathers in a community where two out of three children are raised by single parents.

In San Francisco, Captain Kevin Paulson hopes to break the cycle of recidivism by overseeing the nation's first high school inside a jail.

In this clip from American Promise, Idris and Seun's parents discuss why they chose to send their sons to Dalton Academy.

In this clip from American Promise, Idris talks to his parents about going to Bar and Bat Mitzvahs of his peers at Dalton.

In this clip from American Promise, Idris and Seun talk about how they see themselves fitting in at Dalton Academy and outside of school.

Faculty discuss why Seun faced difficulty at Dalton Academy and Seun transfers to Benjamin Banneker Academy in Brooklyn.

In this clip from American Promise, Seun is tested for his martial arts certification, Joe talks with Idris about the family’s history of success, struggle and access, and Banneker’s principal talks about the ethos of the school.

In this clip of American Promise, parents take a tour of and receive an orientation to Dalton Academy.