NEW YORK, May 23, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- More than 400 New York City high school students will address key issues about the media from a unique vantage point at the annual conference at the Global Kids' High School for Global Citizenship (HSGC) in Brooklyn on Thursday, May 29.
The conference, focusing on media from many different angles, will be attended by students from all grades at HSGC and from three other schools on the Prospect Heights Campus. It will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Participating students will have the opportunity to hear from experts in media and share their own perspectives about sensitive issues related to media. Representatives from dynamic organizations related to media will attend to lead workshops with students in the afternoon. Youth will also emcee the event, participate in an opening and closing plenary and view performances by fellow students.
As one of the school's core learning experiences, every tenth grade student at HSGC has been involved in the planning and organizing of the conference on his or her chosen topic of media. All students will participate in Media Literacy workshops at the beginning of the day, and youth will conduct afternoon workshops on such topics as Women in the Media, War and Media, Media Literacy, Race and the Media, Media Conglomerates, Youth Media, Messages in Music, and Censorship.
Professionals from media-related organizations taking part will include Isabel MacDonald from Fairness in Accuracy and Reporting, and Claire Karpen from the National Coalition Against Censorship. They will both lead interactive afternoon workshops with students. At the afternoon plenary, HSGC student Anastagia Lewis will speak about sexual harassment in local communities, which she studied as part of her Global Action Project at HSGC. Ms. Lewis produced a video about sexual harassment in communities for the project. Clips will be shown to the students at the conference.
The High School for Global Citizenship was co-founded by Global Kids in September 2004 and has quickly become one of New York City's leading small high schools. HSGC has been identified by leaders at the Department of Education as a leading laboratory for international education and youth leadership development. The innovative small high school aims to create a community of active learners who are engaged participants in the democratic process and are learning about foreign policy issues and the connections between their personal lives and international events. The school will graduate its first 12th grade class this year on June 27. Many of them will be studying at selective colleges next fall.
Although HSGC serves a challenging population (within the past two 9th grade classes, more than 75% of the school's incoming students scored below grade-level on the eighth grade reading or math exam, and 84% of the student body is eligible for free or reduced lunch), to date, the school has achieved impressive results, including: a retention rate of over 95%, an attendance rate of 87%, and passing rates of over 85% on the Math A and Living Environment Regents' Exams. HSGC has been hailed for its ability to engage students in learning about and taking action on vital world issues.
A significant reason for the school's success has been the extent to which Global Kids, as the school's lead partner, has been able to integrate its programs and methodology into the curriculum, life and culture of the school. Global Kids has been able to reach every student in the school on a regular basis within the classroom and involve more than 60 students per year in an after-school leadership program. HSGC students have interacted with significant guest speakers; participated in intensive retreats; visited the United Nations, Council on Foreign Relations and other institutions; been part of Peace and Justice Day; and been active in a range of Global Kids' citywide programs, including the Annual Youth Conference and Human Rights Activist Project.
About HSGC:
The High School for Global Citizenship is a community of active learners and problem solvers who are engaged participants in a multidisciplinary and experiential approach to learning both in and outside of the classroom. Our school is committed to both academic achievement at the highest standards and to the promotion of diversity, justice, human rights, and the democratic process.
About Global Kids, Inc.
Founded in 1989, Global Kids' mission is to transform urban youth into successful students and global and community leaders by engaging them in socially dynamic, content-rich learning experiences. Through its leadership development and academic enrichment programs, Global Kids educates youth about critical international and domestic issues and promotes their engagement in civic life and the democratic process. Through professional development initiatives, Global Kids provides educators with strategies for integrating experiential learning methods and international issues into urban classrooms. Over ninety percent of the high school seniors who participate in Global Kids' leadership program graduate from high school.