Tag Archives: KQED American Graduate National

Local, Research

Sustainable Urban Design at Castlemont High

The Education Blog
May 29, 2012
Written By Katy Murphy

The Sustainable Urban Design Academy is slated to expand this fall as part of Castlemont’s controversial merger and redesign — which was the subject of an early morning protest on the campus last week; another is planned for tomorrow morning.

The students have undertaken a number of projects on the campus, including a community mapping initiative featured in the below video. They have been documenting the strengths and challenges of their neighborhood from various perspectives: public health, economic opportunity and the natural vs. “built” environment, among others.

In addition to learning about various `green’ career paths, the students hope to weigh in on city and school district projects. The MacArthur Boulevard strip outside the high school campus could sure use a little TLC.

Read and watch this story and video.

Youth Media

Video: What would you do?

KQED and Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC) youth programs; BUMP Records and The Factory are collaborating to create local videos by youth that address the high school dropout rate in Oakland, CA.

Here is an example of what is to come in the following months.

This piece asks the question – What would you do with $260,000? – and shows how you can get it. Directed by Lauren Lindberg

National

Video: Too Young To Fail: Just Listen To Me, Tavis Smiley

“I really didn’t like school until I came to Promise Academy,” says Jamill Jackson, a student at the Roberts Vaux Promise Academy in Philadelphia. “I really didn’t wake up until high school.”

Watch this video of Jackson and his schoolmate Brandon Rose explaining why having teachers and school administrators who listen to them has made the difference in their education and in their lives.

Watch Brandon Rose and Jamill Jackson on PBS. See more from Tavis Smiley.

About KQED's American Graduate

American Graduate Initiative : Let’s Make It Happen

American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen builds on public broadcasting’s long-standing commitment to education by convening conversations and strengthening partnerships between public radio and television stations and local schools, businesses, and community organizations – all with the goal of helping students stay on course to graduate from high school.
CPB has provided funding to public television and radio stations in 60 markets where the dropout crisis is most acute to address the problem.
These stations will provide their resources and services to raise awareness, coordinate action with community partners and work directly with students, parents, teachers, mentors, volunteers and leaders to develop locally-based solutions to address the dropout crisis in their respective communities.