Young Filmmakers Tackle Women’s Suffrage

Two LaRue County High School students are digging into history—not as a distant set of facts, but as a living story that still shapes who we are and who we become.

Rachael Hammons and Kaylee Clark are currently filming a documentary centered on women’s suffrage, exploring how the fight for voting rights connects directly to the ideals laid out in the Declaration of Independence and what those ideals mean today.

“This year marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence,” Hammons explained. “We were asked to think about what that milestone means for our country and how those values still show up today. We had to choose one major event connected to the Declaration, and women’s suffrage stood out to us.”

For Clark, the topic felt especially relevant when viewed through the lens of citizenship and participation.

“When the Declaration says ‘We the People,’ that didn’t originally mean everyone,” Clark said. “It mostly meant wealthy white men. Women weren’t included. Women’s suffrage is one of the moments in history that pushed us closer to actually meaning everyone when we say ‘We the People.’”

As part of their project, the students have been filming around Hodgenville, including on the town square, where decorations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary provided a timely backdrop. They also captured footage near the Abraham Lincoln statue and are incorporating primary sources, expert interviews, and historical video clips into their final documentary.

Beyond the technical work, both students say the project has deepened their understanding of the freedoms they now hold.

“It really made me realize how much value there is in women having rights and having opinions,” Hammons said. “That wasn’t always the case. Today, women have the freedom to choose their path and that freedom exists because women throughout history fought hard for it.”

Clark said the project reinforced the importance of speaking up and staying engaged.

“Movements like women’s suffrage only happened because people were willing to push for what they believed in,” she said. “We live in a time where we can openly share our beliefs, and that matters. Raising your voice—saying what’s right and what’s wrong—is how change happens.”

Both students agree that the lesson extends far beyond history class.

“We can’t quit when things get hard,” Hammons added. “The idea of ‘We the People’ still matters today. It’s just as important now to remember that those words mean all of us.”

Through their work, Hammons and Clark aren’t just studying engaged citizens of the past—they’re practicing what it means to be engaged citizens shaping the future.