Fwd: High School Students Citywide Chat on School Closings
Leah Z. Owens
Press Release
February 23, 2011
Contact: Taimer Singleton, YMS Program Coordinator
Telephone: (973) 353-3560
Fax: (973) 353-1622
E-mail: tai...@andromeda.rutgers.edu
Newark High School Advocates of the Youth Media Symposium Host
City Wide Chat on School Closings and Consolidations
On Thursday, February 24, 2011, at 7:30pm, Newark high school advocates of the Abbott Leadership Institute Youth Media Symposium are conducting a city-wide chat entitled “Put Your Schools on Blast”, School Closings and Consolidations. The chat comes two days after the Youth Media Symposium unveiled its “Newark Student Support Policy”, a proposal to increase student achievement, graduation rates, and college graduation rates, by developing a culture of college readiness in ALL Newark Public Schools.
The chat also follows the recent announcement of school closings and consolidations in the city of Newark, and will allow students and city residents the chance to voice their concerns about how the proposed changes will affect Newark’s students. The closings and consolidations include: (1) co-housing American History High School (currently in the Academy of Vocational Careers building) with YouthBuild (for ex-offenders), (2) co-housing Shabazz High School with Spirit Prep Charter School and YouthBuild (3) moving 15th Ave. School children to other schools and placing North Star Charter School into the 15th Ave. School building (4)moving Barringer Success Academy (BSA) to Barringer High School and making the BSA building Diploma Plus or Green School, and (5) consolidating Camden Middle with Camden Elementary and placing Lady Liberty Charter School in the Camden Middle School Building.
Hydeia Austin, Shabazz High School student and YMS advocate believes that the chat is something all students should be encouraged to participate in. “We the students deserve an education that has high expectations, and we believe it can happen in the schools we are in now. That is the only way ALL students will receive a good education. Someone has to do the hard work.” Central High School student and YMS advocate Aisha Rivera stated, “The student voice is nowhere in the current plan for Newark. We are demanding our voice be heard. You say no child left behind, yet you make choices without us.”
The chat will take place on the Youth Media Symposium website www.youthyms.webs.com, under the link “Chat for Change”, February 24, 2011 from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. All Newark high school students and concerned adults are encouraged to attend the chat, and to also register as a member of the YMS website. All data gathered from the chat will be used to collect the Newark students’ and community’s ideas on how to effectively improve and strengthen the Newark Public School System.
For more information about the Youth Media Symposium chat, or to receive a copy of the Newark Student Support Policy, please contact ALI YMS Coordinator Taimer Singleton at e-mail tai...@andromeda.rutgers.edu, telephone number 973 353-3560 or by fax at 973-353-1622.