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We are loving these teens in the news, making their voices heard: NYC students are calling for the City to integrate public schools and give students a voice in the process. Last weekend, students from IntegrateNYC4Me, a student-led advocacy group, organized a rally to “call attention to the necessity of including student voices in the creation of the policies…

A third grader’s take on the best part of service learning, and how the experience changed him.

Earlier this week, President Obama visited the University of Chicago and delivered the first public remarks of his post-presidency. His comments covered a range of topics, including his plans for the next phase of his life. Going forward, he explained, his highest priority is help “prepare the next generation of leadership to take up the…

In this week’s issue of Education Week, SLP responded to a recent op-ed, “How Can We Make Service Learning Less Self-Serving?”  In the original article, San Francisco teacher Kyle Redford shared her concern that too often service-learning efforts organized with community partners benefit the students but not the partners themselves.  Our Letter to the Editor explains how the SLP…

We love this recent article challenging the typical deficit portrayal of Brownsville, a Brooklyn neighborhood home to more than 58,000 residents, with close to 30% under the age of 18.  When Brownsville is covered by the media, the subject is typically crime, poverty, and crisis. But this piece highlights the work of a few native New Yorkers…

In a recent interview with The Atlantic magazine, Eric Liu, author of You’re More Powerful Than You Think: A Citizen’s Guide to Making Change Happen, explains why protest is important but not enough.  Anyone looking to create systemic change must “outline an alternative vision of what life should look like, and work to sell people on that vision.”  This…

An important article about the challenges of helping young people (now more than ever) evaluate the reliability of “news” they find online.  One of the many goals of SLP is to help young people develop their research skills and, for students that have access to technology, the internet is an invaluable source of information.  But we always…

“We should all be equal, we all have equal worth,  but we don’t all experience equality yet.”  Earlier this week, the NYT published this thoughtful op-ed about the importance of talking openly and honestly with all children about historic and present-day racism and inequality.  Falling back on the easier “we’re all equal” is not enough.  The author encourages parents,…

During these challenging times, when homelessness in New York City has reached the highest level since the Great Depression, we are so inspired by two 3rd grade classes in Brownsville, NY. Although many in their community, including classmates, live in temporary shelters, the issue they are the most concerned about, and chose to help solve,…

How exciting is this: According to a 2/14/17 New York Times article, civics is the new teen obsession for middle and high school students across the United States. Teachers and principals report that, with Trump in the White House, students are “showing a level of civic engagement they have not seen in years.” Talk of Trump’s…