Who: Youth in San Diego, CA
Age: Elementary School-College
What: Youth Rising Summits
Dialogue is the key to change and the start of action. This is a pretty cool story about youth creating dialogue around California from Right To Learn.
Inspiring Youth Leaders at Successful San Diego Summit for Right To Learn and YouthNoise
March 29th, 2008: San Diego, CA. We had another successful and exciting summit in our series of Youth Rising events across the U.S. this year. Our California summits in San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Fresno, L.A., and San Diego were important in order to bring students together to discuss real issues in each of the regions’ education systems. In the end, we planned, plotted and discussed how we wanted to take action. San Diego was no exception to this energy, excitement and commitment.
Great HIGHLIGHTS from the day included:
1. Mr. Random Abiladeze performed and facilitated a great discussion about his poetry and put on a great performance during lunch. Random does classroom visits all over the state and is always so interestingly intrigued by meaningful conversations…which leads him to discussions about education and Right to Learn. He also performed in Fresno and we’ll keep him in our sights for future things we do. Tons of talent and a truly warm and generous person who I deeply respect for his art.
2. TracenDANCE- a youth arts and dance non-profit also performed and wow-ed us with their artistic portrayals of movement as a means to discuss social issues- one about technology taking over our lives, one about loving who we are, and one about making your voice be heard. It was GREAT stuff.
3. Participants!!! We had 35 participants from 2 colleges and 12 different high schools. If I could have put together a group of leaders, I could not have done it better. These people that showed up just go to prove how advanced and full of passion young people are. For some reason, we just got the most excited and perfect individuals to attend this summit. They were all amazing, but here are some of my most memorable participants.
a. Miranda, one of our CitiJos and YouthNoise users attended! It was awesome to have that connection, and she was so gosh darn pumped and has started a Day of Action at Scripps Ranch High.
b. Rodrigo, another participant, picked up a RTL flyer the few days before the event, organized classroom visits that Thursday before, and on Friday had 300 young people at his school signed up to do a DAY OF ACTION at his school. This guy was filled with so much knowledge and excitement I could have sworn he’s been organizing for years. He just got it- media advocacy, partnering with parents and teachers, personalizing student stories, educating all his peers on the issue, organizing an event at the school board meeting next week, and extending the movement to be “A MOVEMENT OF ALL OF US, not just one persons idea.” I’m not even kidding, we’ll see him running something big in the future. Keep an eye out.
c. Katrina and Paul - both attend Preuss Charter School in S.D., a charter school in San Diego that buses students from across the region. The budget cuts are affecting their transportation services and may cut some of the bus routes out (not good). They are excited about starting a day of action and doing a “School tour” with their classes..visiting the bigger S.D. public schools to connect with students and learn more about what’s happening in other places. They both are outreach organizers for their school, and are articulate and smart as hell. Seriously. Amazing.
4. Volunteer San Diego volunteers and the SAVY Leaders. They are super amped about all this education stuff. They are dedicating their April Newsletter to the idea of advocating for education. Their staff offered to be adult allies for the students and were amazing positive forces. The leader that showed up from their group were motivated and ready to present this education advocacy at the Global Youth Service day as well!
5. Third Monday in October film screening. We had about 35 folks show up for the screening and talk with Vanessa Roth, the filmmaker. Vanessa is really excited to be working with us, and she just recently won an Oscar for her film “Freeheld” in the documentary short category. She is very dedicated and passionate about education and is working on a future project with Dave Eggers and the McSweenys publishing and 826 Valencia folks on a piece called “The Teachers Project.” They are going to be getting teachers to submit videos and stories about their experiences- trials, tribulations, ups/downs, what sucks what doesn’t, why they love to teach. Then they are going to select stories and create another film from it. She likes us!
Overall this was an amazing summit. We had 5 different groups working on a variety of types of actions for the Right To Learn Statewide Day of Action on APRIL 18, 2008. Sign up your school today and speak out against the budget cuts!
If you want to learn more or get involved in any more of these events Youth Noise hosts, check out www.youthnoise.com/summit or email Lauren at lauren@youthnoise.org .
Showing posts with label voices of change. Show all posts
Showing posts with label voices of change. Show all posts
Monday, April 28, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Uniting to Shape the Future
Who: Local Students in Howard County
Age: Students
What: Uniting to shape the future
Local students in Howard County at a summit sponsored by Voices of Change gather together to make their voices heard. The summit was focused on encouraging youth to make a difference and teaching them how to build a good community around them. This story can be found at The Baltimore Sun.
Local students unite to shape the future
Voices for Change focuses on positive change
By Lisa Silverman
Sun reporter
April 16, 2008
"Students already have voices," said Andrew Gavelek, student member of the Howard County Board of Education. "It's just a matter of using them."
About 160 students from 29 middle and high schools had their voices heard last week at the second Youth Summit at The Gathering Place in Clarksville. The summit was sponsored by Voices for Change, an organization of young people and adults that empowers students to create positive change in Howard County, according to its mission statement.
Brianna Bradford, a junior at Reservoir High School, has served as the student co-chair of Voices for Change, formerly known as the Youth Summit Planning Committee, for the past two years.
"It has taken a lot of effort to build a good foundation for this group," she said. "I'm really excited about the progress we've made and hope more students want to be involved in helping us advocate change."
Elise Mellinger, youth program manager for the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks and adult co-chair, was one of about 40 adults -- planning team members and school staff -- who attended the summit.
"It's great to have such a diverse representation today," Mellinger said. "I think it's very important that different types of students can learn how to advocate for change."
Last year's summit focused on brainstorming solutions to five issues that teens face. This year the summit centered on empowering youth to make a difference and to teach them about building a support system within the community.
Youth advocate Derek Peterson, the keynote speaker at the summit, urged the attendees to look within themselves and to strive for positive community change. He stressed that success means having multiple options. Peterson wanted the students to understand the importance of having at least five caring adults in their lives to serve as anchors.
"I wanted to teach the students to create their web of support that will lead to their innate resiliency," Peterson said after his address. "It's equally important that they help their peers build 'personal villages' as well."
"I learned that you need help taking care of yourself," said Sadie Rockefeller, an eighth-grader at Burleigh Manor Middle School. "You need support and can't do it on your own."
"Today was all about having your voice heard. I want to let people know that's a reality," said Marie Yuille, a sophomore at Oakland Mills High School.
The 60-person planning team spent about a year planning the summit, while working to make changes in the community that directly affect teens. As a result of their efforts, students in many high schools now have a regular study hall. Also, preliminary plans are being discussed for a youth commission in Howard County.
After attending last year's summit, Sami Hawkins realized her voice could finally be heard.
"I've always wanted to help improve the community, but I've never known how," said Hawkins, a sophomore at Centennial High School and a planning team member. "It's great that anyone can get involved and make a difference. Everyone's voice is needed."
Twelve community-based organizations sponsored the summit. Howard County Councilwomen Jen Terrasa and Mary Kay Sigaty attended as well.
"I hope kids learned how to use their voice today," Sigaty said.
For more information about Voices for Change, contact Elise Mellinger at emellinger@howardcountymd.gov or Meg Mekelburg at mmekelburg@thehorizonfoundation.org.
Copyright © 2008, The Baltimore Sun
Age: Students
What: Uniting to shape the future
Local students in Howard County at a summit sponsored by Voices of Change gather together to make their voices heard. The summit was focused on encouraging youth to make a difference and teaching them how to build a good community around them. This story can be found at The Baltimore Sun.
Local students unite to shape the future
Voices for Change focuses on positive change
By Lisa Silverman
Sun reporter
April 16, 2008
"Students already have voices," said Andrew Gavelek, student member of the Howard County Board of Education. "It's just a matter of using them."
About 160 students from 29 middle and high schools had their voices heard last week at the second Youth Summit at The Gathering Place in Clarksville. The summit was sponsored by Voices for Change, an organization of young people and adults that empowers students to create positive change in Howard County, according to its mission statement.
Brianna Bradford, a junior at Reservoir High School, has served as the student co-chair of Voices for Change, formerly known as the Youth Summit Planning Committee, for the past two years.
"It has taken a lot of effort to build a good foundation for this group," she said. "I'm really excited about the progress we've made and hope more students want to be involved in helping us advocate change."
Elise Mellinger, youth program manager for the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks and adult co-chair, was one of about 40 adults -- planning team members and school staff -- who attended the summit.
"It's great to have such a diverse representation today," Mellinger said. "I think it's very important that different types of students can learn how to advocate for change."
Last year's summit focused on brainstorming solutions to five issues that teens face. This year the summit centered on empowering youth to make a difference and to teach them about building a support system within the community.
Youth advocate Derek Peterson, the keynote speaker at the summit, urged the attendees to look within themselves and to strive for positive community change. He stressed that success means having multiple options. Peterson wanted the students to understand the importance of having at least five caring adults in their lives to serve as anchors.
"I wanted to teach the students to create their web of support that will lead to their innate resiliency," Peterson said after his address. "It's equally important that they help their peers build 'personal villages' as well."
"I learned that you need help taking care of yourself," said Sadie Rockefeller, an eighth-grader at Burleigh Manor Middle School. "You need support and can't do it on your own."
"Today was all about having your voice heard. I want to let people know that's a reality," said Marie Yuille, a sophomore at Oakland Mills High School.
The 60-person planning team spent about a year planning the summit, while working to make changes in the community that directly affect teens. As a result of their efforts, students in many high schools now have a regular study hall. Also, preliminary plans are being discussed for a youth commission in Howard County.
After attending last year's summit, Sami Hawkins realized her voice could finally be heard.
"I've always wanted to help improve the community, but I've never known how," said Hawkins, a sophomore at Centennial High School and a planning team member. "It's great that anyone can get involved and make a difference. Everyone's voice is needed."
Twelve community-based organizations sponsored the summit. Howard County Councilwomen Jen Terrasa and Mary Kay Sigaty attended as well.
"I hope kids learned how to use their voice today," Sigaty said.
For more information about Voices for Change, contact Elise Mellinger at emellinger@howardcountymd.gov or Meg Mekelburg at mmekelburg@thehorizonfoundation.org.
Copyright © 2008, The Baltimore Sun
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