Youth Leadership in Middlesex

For the past four years Cambridge Rindge and Latin School has sent teachers and students to the Minority Student Achievement Network national conference. Workshops at the conference help students understand the concept of the achievement gap - how and why it exists. Students create projects based on their knowledge that will specifically help their schools in improving academic achievements for students of color. In the '03-04 school year students are creating a PowerPoint presentation for high school administration, deans and students to continue the work of past student groups in informing the school community of the problem, and acting as guides to solutions. Communication and action are the strategies for this year's students who are interested in cementing relationships between mentor students, and those who need help and guidance throughout their high school career to stay focused on the goal of post secondary education. For more information, please contact Josie Patterson, Office of Public Information, Cambridge Public Schools at 617-349-6516.

The Fuller Middle School in Framingham is home to a student-centered program, the Round Table, designed to help students build life skills, such as reflection, understanding, acceptance, and communication with both adults and peers. Created by Dora Vientos-Guzman in response to disrespectful behavior and conflict among students, the Round Table is a process, which begins with an introduction to laws that govern the educational system and procedural concepts, like meeting agendas. The process then continues with the heart of the Round Table, discussion. Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 are welcome to discuss issues affecting the school community. When action is needed to resolve an issue, participants develop a Problem Resolution Plan. Once the Plan is set in motion, at least one follow-up is required to check goals, procedures, and accomplishments. Every member of the Round Table must also design a plan for self-improvement which is recorded in the respective member's journal. Through the Round Table Program, students learn that they can take control of their own learning and ultimately learn how to develop positive decision-making and behavior. For more information, please contact Dora Vientos-Guzman at 508-620-4956.

One organization that has proved great effectiveness in a short period of time is the SADD Chapter at Lowell High School. Led by Aislyn Plath, the chapter had a great start this year, and recruited about fifteen continuous members. Numerous posters have been made and hung around the school to enlighten students about many issues. For example, peace-promoting posters have been put up containing some very famous anti-violence quotes as well as posters informing students about the dangers of alcohol with many attention-grabbing and disturbing facts about alcohol use among teenagers in America. SADD will also hold a school-wide Peace Contest, where applicants submit a poem, song, rap, or painting promoting peace for the month of January, which is SADD's Anti-Violence month. These various activities have quickly begun to change the environment of the school with students becoming increasingly aware of the many issues facing teenagers these days. And, with many more activities coming up this year we hope to see membership and awareness rise to an all time high. For more information, please contact Jill McNamara, Coordinator for Student Affairs & Activities at 978-441-3735.

The Character Congress in the Woburn Public Schools is a group of students elected by their teachers as a result of the outstanding manner with which they conduct their personal lives. Each year each teacher (grades 3 through 10) may elect one student to the Character Congress. The students participate in the Annual Character Congress and carry out a variety of student led activities each year. The main leaders of the Character Congress include Michael DeRienzo, Matthew Olsen, Elizabeth Miller, Katie Whittie, and Anthony Colarusso. Recent activities of the Character Congress include leading an annual, city-wide memorial service for September 11th, hosting a Talent Show to raise money for Dana Farber (which has raised $2100 to date!), serving as Role Models by visiting elementary school classrooms for the past three years, keeping the elementary school libraries open during the summer and running the summer reading program for the past two years, and, this year, collecting materials for and creating Comfort Baskets for children who will spend Christmas at Dana Farber. For more information, please contact Dr. Louise Nolan, Assistant Superintendent at 781-937-8200.

Do You Work With Exceptional Youth Leaders?

Would You Like To Share The Work Of These Youth Leaders With Others?

Please send your 100-150 word paragraph describing a youth-led or student-driven program which helps to create and/or enhance a positive school climate (peer mediation, GLSTA, diversity clubs, etc. . .) or that helps to prevent risk-taking behavior in youth (smoking cessation, SADD, violence prevention, etc. . . ) to
Project Alliance
attn: Youth Leadership
40 Thorndike Street
Cambridge, MA 02141
or email info@projectalliance.org

Deadline for submission is June 19th, 2004.

Write-ups will appear in the Partnerships Fall 2004 edition and on-line at www.projectalliance.org