Hello All!
Hello after a long winter hiatus! I hope this message finds you well, re-energized for a new year, and working towards your resolutions! As recent events in Arizona have reminded me, our work is urgent and deeply relevant. I plan to spend 2011 continuing our work towards empowering youth to use their MINDS and VOICES to consider issues, hear diverse arguments, and make positive change.
GC News:
First and foremost, Mentor applications for Spring are open and available on our website! Mentors (new or returning), please go to our homepage at www.GenerationCitizen.org. Returning mentors: please fill out an application as well; it will only take you 2 minutes!
For those of you that are looking for summer or post-graduation work opportunities, we’re going to be sending things along as they come up. Also, please let us know if you have specific inquiries: we also have contacts at many of these organizations:
- Providence Summerbridge Providence Summerbridge
- Blue Engine Fellowship (New York City): http://www.blueengine.org/apply/
- Teach for America’s next deadline: February 4th: https://www.teachforamerica.org/online/info/index.jsp
Upcoming Events & Challenges:
We are now actively scheduling for Spring 2011 GC classes! If you are interested in bringing GC to your classroom or to the classroom of any teachers you recommend to us (either as a new or returning class) please get in touch with me (molly@generationcitizen.org) as soon as possible. We will be recruiting mentors early and can best work with your scheduling needs to find excellent mentors if you let us know now if you will be continuing your partnership for GC in the Spring.
We have improved our curriculum, increased our recruiting capacity to provide high quality mentors, and will hold a Professional Development day for new and returning teachers before Spring begins. Please keep your eye out for more announcements on this!
Spring GC classes will begin the week of Feb 8-12th Boston and Feb 14th -18th in Providence and will run until early May when we will hold our Spring Civics Day.
Some of you have already begun a year-long partnership. In this case, we would just like to know if you will continue to have the same scheduled time slot or if you need to change/adjust it from the Fall semester!
Class Spotlight:
A class from the MET school along with their Mentor Colin Murphy in Providence has been working hard over the winter to continue their GC project! They worked during the fall to promote more teen jobs and access to these for students at their school and in their city. The students volunteered to spend extra time outside of class to work with their Mentor to conduct a school-wide survey of student interest and needs. They also have reached out to local organizations such as the Providence After School Alliance to learn about existing options for job training for teens. Keep an eye out soon for a blog post from these students! In the meanwhile, I also definitely recommend reading our most recent incredibly thought-provoking post from a Mentor here.
Interesting Political and Youth Engagement News from the Outside World:
Teachers- I encourage you to share these with your students!
Uganda’s entrepreneurship curriculum hopes to create future leaders
Annotated version of the Constitution from the NYTimes
January is National Mentoring Month
RI. Board of Regents hears from critics of tiered diplomas
Problems of Democracy…Miranda in the Modern World
Always,
Molly
