youth

The Philadelphia Student Union is opening a brand new public computer center exclusively for middle school and high school aged youth. The Young People’s Computer Center will offer free, weekly college access workshops designed to help students navigate the path to college and careers. The Center features 14 new computers, including a 5-station Youth Media Lab, where young people can learn radio production, video editing and advanced computer skills.

The student movement over massive tuition hikes in England continued yesterday. Check out reporting from the UK indymedia on the protests throughout the country as well as a video of social theorist Tariq Ali, that places the protests in historical context.

Check out reporting of the struggles throughout England

Despite years of strong public opposition, SugarHouse Casino opened it's doors on September 23, 2010. To many Philadelphians who understand the nature of predatory gambling, SugarHouse's arrival foretells a rise in unemployment, addiction, broken families and unstable communities.

Yet those who have been organizing around this issue are not giving up. In this piece, Lai Har Cheung, Reverend Jesse Brown, and Francesca Lo Basso talk about what SugarHouse will mean for Philly and why they are even more determined in their fight against casinos in Philadelphia.

During Philadelphia Student Union's summer leadership program, Building A Youth Movement, students hit the streets to ask people their opinions about public education. Along the way they talked to college students, third grade girls, adults who attended private school, a mother with young children, parents of high school students, and other Philadelphians--- all of whom had strong opinions about the state of our city's public schools. Listen and see if you agree with what these Philly residents had to say.

Many people who support standardized testing have good intentions: they would like an objective way to evaluate how well schools are serving their students. They would also like to use the results to help figure out which schools need help. They have an admirable central goal - to ensure that all students are learning.

On this show:

• Picture the Homeless organizes for the right to housing in NYC
• PSU brings students together for a nonviolent 'flash mob'
• Students stand in solidarity with Temple nurses & techs
• Temple University Health System tries to limit college access for nurses' kids
• Plus music and local education news

This show was hosted by Greg Jordan-Detamore & Shania Morris. Dan
Jones engineered.

On, Tuesday April 20th around 2pm, Philadelphia Student Union conducted a 3-minute action. In only 180 seconds, we showed the power and leadership that young people have when we are organized for non-violence.

When I first started high school, I didn’t have any school pride.  After I joined Philadelphia Student Union (PSU), I started standing up for my school.  I want to make Sayre the best it can be and a place where every student wants to come to high school.

We, the students at Overbrook High School (OHS), have been working to improve our school for the last two years.  This is because we love our school, and we feel like students have to take responsibility for making it better.  We have been organizing students to come to school on time and attend their classes, meeting with district officials, elected officials, and community members who are all as committed as we are in transforming our school to educate each and every one of us for our future.  But the road has not been easy.

Student leaders speak about how Philadelphia Student Union has affected their lives and their futures, in this youth-produced radio piece. Zakia Royster, Lawrence Jones Mahoney & Khalif Dobson talk about how they became part of this youth-led organization and how their identity as organizers and their sense of purpose has been shaped through their work with PSU.