Youth Push for Justice Shows Up in High-Tech Settings

2/4/2002

From: What Kids Can Do Press Office, 401-247-7665

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Feb. 4 -- Combining their passion for fairness with whiz-bang technical acuity, teenagers across the country are creating Web sites to prick the nation's conscience on everything from air pollution to divorce.

A selective listing of youth-run sites that serve the public good is among the new stories posted this week at http://www.whatkidscando.org, where What Kids Can Do, Inc. (WKCD) brings to national attention the work and voices of adolescents.

Also reflecting the characteristic idealism of youth is WKCD's latest feature story, about young people working to resolve conflict in settings from New York City to Navajo country and the nation's capital.

"Teachers don't understand kids, but kids understand kids. So if we ask him a question, he might answer us in a way that we will understand him," says a 14-year-old juror from the Harlem Youth Court in one of the audio clips that accompany the story.

From Washington, D.C., teens in the City at Peace program tell how they bridge racial divides by shaping their life experiences into a piercing musical drama. "Here I had to work from the inside out," says Anais, 18. "Here they accepted me. I could just speak -- not use slang. I changed the way I walk. Now I can be the insecure shy person I am and know that's OK."

Three new short commentaries on school and society by urban youth of color have just been posted on WKCD's "Hear Us Out" series, featuring young people's voices (often via audio clips).

The Web site has also posted the 80th report in its regular "Kids on the Wire" bulletin, which scans news sources daily for what adolescents are doing around the nation.

WKCD also seeks out the latest research supporting its belief that "powerful learning with public purpose" can help shape the country's dialogue about youth policies. Newly posted, a report by the National Academies finds "consistent, compelling evidence" that community-based youth development programs can turn around the lives of their young participants. And two new papers from the Forum for Youth Investment summarize proven strategies for engaging youth.

A resource for journalists, educators, community, and youth, the WKCD site posts a changing mix of news, features, research, analysis, resources, and other information involving adolescents in and out of school. For more information, go to http://www.whatkidscando.org or telephone WKCD at 401-247-7665.