Student Advocacy.
Student advocacy. Someone asked about this at the screening this week at Black Pine Circle. Last week, we met a wonderful high school senior (Joel) in Salt Lake City who is taking a leadership role in creating a National Student Bill of Rights. His hope is to get two cities from each state to participate. Currently, they have students in Baltimore, Chicago, New York, Salt Lake, Oakland, and Providence. The students are conducting surveys and working on drafts of the Bill of Rights. They are participating in several conferences this summer. We will post additional details as we have them.
Joel has also written on the achievement gap in his school between Latino and Caucasian students and has produced a documentary on racism and ethnic stereotyping in his school.
On a personal note, Joel decided against applying to the Ivy Leagues and instead will be attending a local university. He shared that many are surprised by his choices. Hoping his choices and activism inspire other young people.
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Wonderful to hear that students nationwide are answering the call. Deep down they all want to, but many feel trapped within the confines of our academic culture.
Many are content to just vent their rage amongst their friends, it takes real imagination and courage to start something like this. Congratulations Joel, hopefully I too can continue to raise awareness within my community. And if all goes well, Seattle will want to sign off on your Bill some day.
Students are taking a leadership role across the country on these issues. At our school we have Mission: SOS which is students, parents, teachers and administrators researching and proposing policy changes, managing outreach events and raising money for existing school organizations that need financial support to make changes. Students are the officers, they have equal voices and they get support to succeed in their positions.
As parents and educators, I believe we can support their efforts to take control of their feelings, focus on shaping their own future and expectations and be well by putting them in leadership positions and supporting their choices. The students in our community speak at parent events in schools in our area, fought to have class rank dropped from their transcripts, and bring in speakers on "Different Paths to Success" and have held outreach events on subjects from integrity, to helping peers with health and wellness, and a very cool event on how labels and stereotypes shape overwhelmingly harsh expectations around student performance.
The students made a film to go with the Grace Lee movie "Who is Grace Lee?" and invited Dr. Eliza Noh to speak about teen suicide, particularly in the Asian American community. It was a crazy, but amazing event with 400 students (and some adults) showing up on a Thursday night and staying for 3 hours.
Students lead the change because its their power we have taken away in education, yet they carry the emotional burden without any of the control. Put them in charge of these programs at your schools, listen to them on panels and give them equal power. Change must originate with those who are least empowered.