Young Voices tranforms urban youth into powerful advocates
Students from the PYC-a new coalition of Providence’s strongest youth organizations (Hope High Optimized, New Urban Arts, Providence Student Union, Rhode Island Urban Debate League, Young Voices, Youth In Action, Youth Pride, Inc. and YouthBuild) met Tuesday with Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza to promote the goals outlined in their youth-written education platform “The Schools Providence Students Deserve”. Read more
On March 27th, our youth presented to more than 700 educators at the New England Secondary Schools Consortium! They spoke about how they partner with their principals to improve low-performing high schools. Read more
Xilian Sansoucy and Kendal Hall being interviewed on RI Public Radio.
Young Voices and the Providence Student Union, in partnership with six of Providence’s strongest youth organizations, launched the Providence Youth Caucus (PYC) in January. This coalition unites students from across Providence to work together for citywide education changes like restorative practices and personalized learning. The effort, supported by the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, includes diverse youth from Hope High Optimized (H2O), New Urban Arts, Rhode Island Urban Debate League, Youth in Action, YouthBuild Providence, and Youth Pride, Inc.
The PYC, along with youth groups from across the state, met with Governor Raimondo on March 24 th . Read more
Young Voices members in the Providence Youth Caucus discuss education with Governor Raimondo.
These punitive disciplinary practices have a very negative effect on school culture, which is really a problem since having a positive school culture has been shown to be a factor in having students actually attend school.
“This youth-led forum is our chance to voice our education, opinions and priorities to our city’s next mayor,” said Kinte Howie, who welcomed the standing-room-only crowd at the Juanita Sanchez School Complex.
“Our schools are falling apart, structurally and metaphorically. The buildings more resemble places of strict order and discipline than places of interactive learning and hands on experiences. We need to have schools that are student-centered, where students have ownership over their learning, where learning is personalized to the student and they are measured on their mastery of important 21st Century skills. We need effective changes that will excite the students for learning and a new school day.” – Kinte Howie, age 16 Read More
Kelly Borrayo, a member of Young Voices, said that only 19 out of 128 seniors at Alvarez High School passed the NECAP last year. She said that the state Department of Education had failed students by failing to explain the college waiver policy in a timely manner. [Read more…]
PROVIDENCE — High school graduation rates in Rhode Island’s poorest cities improved at more than twice the rate of the rest of the state during the last five years, according to a report released Monday by Rhode Island KidsCount. [Read more…]
“Closing a school is never a preferred option, and is not the preferred option in this instance,” Supt. Susan Lusi said at the start of Tuesday’s School Board meeting, which was moved from its original location because a large turnout was expected. About 100 students, parents, City Council and state representatives were in the audience. Most of the students were members of the organizations Providence Student Union and Young Voices, some of whom gave alternate solutions to what school officials are already considering.