Freedom Forum and NEWSWELL, in partnership with Arizona State University, have launched the First Amendment Academy — a free online learning hub designed to deepen public understanding of the five freedoms covered by the First Amendment: Religion, speech, press, assembly and petition.
The academy features 15 interactive courses, 25 flash quizzes and digital badges to mark progress. Each course runs just 10-20 minutes and is built for accessibility, whether you’re an adult learner, a teacher looking for resources or a student curious about your rights.
The real innovation is how the academy can be used in places people are already learning and engaging — from classrooms and civic programs to newsletters and local news stories. Instead of requiring people to go elsewhere, the learning arrives right where they are. Readers don’t have to go searching for resources; the learning appears right alongside the reporting or teaching that sparked their curiosity.
“This initiative is a step forward in our mission to educate, engage and inspire people about their First Amendment freedoms,” said Jan Neuharth, chair and CEO of Freedom Forum. “By making these resources widely accessible and interactive, we’re helping people not only understand their rights but also feel empowered to exercise and defend them.”
The First Amendment Academy is available now. We invite you to explore the courses, share them and embed them in your own teaching, reporting and community work. At NEWSWELL, we believe that pairing strong journalism with tools for civic learning is how communities grow stronger together.
This update originally appeared in our Aug. 28, 2025, newsletter, which came from Sapna Satagopan, NEWSWELL’s director of product and innovation. This version has been lightly edited for clarity.