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April Retreat -
Civil Rights & Social Justice | Students led a sit-in, protesting their oppressive situation and the unfairness of the Starpower game.
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At the April Retreat, students learned about social justice and civil rights. They learned about power, privilege, and oppression. There were student-led Shabbat and church services. We played a "game" called Starpower. They learned about the American Civil Rights Movement. We watched the PBS documentary "Slavery by Another Name." And Dr. Howard Rambsy II, professor at SIUE, taught students about Civil Rights through poetry. Students revealed their unique abilities during Saturday night's talent show - and they are definitely talented!
 | | Darrell Hopson, Class 9 listens to different forms of poetry about the Civil Rights Movement. |
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Debriefing the "School Swap"
Students have continued discussing, contemplating, debating, and learning about education equity issues during and after their School Swaps. Two Class 9 students, Ian and Sep'Tisha, wrote about their experiences and shared their opinions in the Post-Dispatch about education inequities here in St. Louis. You can read their articles here and here.  | Class 9 students pose with Brittany Packnett, Teach for America - St. Louis, after their panel discussion.
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At the April Retreat, students hosted a panel discussion to explore promising practices addressing education inequities here in St. Louis. Panelists included Mike Jones, state school board representative, Brittany Packnett, Executive Director of Teach for America - St. Louis, and Karen Kalish, Cultural Leadership's founder and Executive Director of Homeworks! The Teacher Home Visit Program.
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Students will continue exploring these issues throughout their year in Cultural Leadership, meeting with education experts on their Transformational Journey and implementing their own education projects in the Fall.
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Save these Dates!
Cardina ls Game - Aug. 5
Bring together social justice and baseball and join Cultural Leadership for a night out with the St. Louis Cardinals! Enjoy a nice night with your fellow Cultural Leadership alums - catch up and cover all the bases. Don't make an error; come to Busch Stadium on Monday, August 5, at 6:05pm! RSVP to Maggie by July 15 to reserve your seats.
Welcome Back Party
Greet our weary travelers as they return from the Transformational Journey on Tuesday, June 25. Hear about their life-changing experience on this trip.
Central Reform Congregation (5020 Waterman Blvd.) Around 3pm.
Courageous Conversations
Saturday evening, August 24, 2013
Location TBD.
Attend Courageous Conversations, where Class 9 demonstrates their facilitation skills through a series of important, difficult conversations about things we don't normally talk about.
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Local high schools often require their graduating seniors to perform community service or an internship. These experiences give students the opportunity to apply their school-learned skills to the real world. Elizabeth and Taylor, at Whitfield and John Burroughs respectively, chose to do their senior internship at Cultural Leadership.
Elizabeth Darrell, Class 8
 When it came to choosing my internship, I knew exactly where I wanted to work: the Cultural Leadership office. Being a Class 8 Alum, I was so invested in Cultural Leadership that I was eager to see what happens on the inside. While I have found that the working world is completely different than the classroom, aspects of the classroom have certainly found their way back to me. I have exercised my writing and persuasion skills from my English 12 class to create blogs and reviews. I have used my problem-solving skills that we learned in Calculus to create a budget for meals for Class 9's Transformational Journey. I have practiced my discussion skills from my Modern World History class to facilitate discussions with middle school students from The College School.
For my final internship presentation I must answer the question, "Am I an educated person?" I am confident that I will be able to answer yes to that question knowing that my education, through Cultural Leadership and Whitfield, has prepared me for the real world.
Taylor Ingram, Class 8 My involvement two years ago, in the Anytown Youth Leadership Institute influenced my decision to join Cultural Leadership Class 8. Through Cultural Leadership, my eyes were opened to not only the challenges we face as youth in our world today, but also how we can solve these issues. Cultural Leadership motivated me to make a change in my community by connecting me with people who are making change in the world today. I chose to intern at Cultural Leadership because I want to give back to an organization that has given me so much. During my internship I have been planning an event that brings together Cultural Leadership and Anytown Youth Leadership alumni. I believe that both of these programs are valuable - they create awareness and motivate youth who will not settle for the world they live in, and will work until the world is a better place for everyone. |
Support the Transformational Journey!
Our students will embark on the Transformational Journey in 8 days. Please consider supporting them as they traverse through New York, DC, Atlanta, Whitwell, Alabama, Mississippi, Little Rock, and Memphis!
$18 will buy a student's ticket to the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem for Amateur Night.
$42 will provide Metro tickets in DC for two students.
$127 will fly a student from DC to Atlanta for the Southern portion of the trip.
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Alumni Corner 
Alumni Actively Pursuing Justice around the Globe
Brionna Jimerson (Class 4) wrapped up her final newspaper column at Tufts University exploring "the often institutionally neglected black population" at her school. Read her column here: http://www.tuftsdaily.com/features/brionna-jimerson-respect-your-elders-1.2822721#.UYqUfErNgrp
Hannah Rosenthal (Class 5) recently published "The P-Word" in Princeton University's student newspaper, where she delineates some of the ways that privilege shows itself on campus. Read her column here: http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2013/05/08/33537/
Summer Opportunities
Consider joining the Cultural Leadership team for summer internship experience! Potential projects include supporting the Transformational Journey, planning alumni events, and developing a fundraising event!
Do you know of other opportunities for Cultural Leadership alumni? Many high school and college age alums are looking for paid and volunteer opportunities this summer in St. Louis ... and to make a difference. Send info to mharris@culturalleadership.org.
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When our students see a problem, they grab an ally, or two or three,
roll up their sleeves, and get to work.
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