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El Monte City School District

In March of 2015 Youth Voices held a professional development workshop with English Language Development (ELD) teachers and coaches from the El Monte City School District. They explored the Youth Voices curriculum and outlined ways they could integrate the civic journalism activities into their classroom during a ten week session in the Spring.

The teachers at Columbia, Durfee, and Wright Schools implemented the program with their seventh grade students and facilitated their process of identifying a concern or issue they wanted to investigate in their community.

As students began to think about their Youth Voices project they started to ask questions that were meaningful to them and their experiences. This critical inquiry is one of the objectives of the Youth Voices curriculum and a process that can facilitate deeper and richer conversations about important issues in their community. This process is not without its challenges as students discovered when trying to manage their time and stay motivated. None-the-less the students, and teachers, persevered as they investigated, researched and wrote their articles. Articles that provide a glimpse into how seventh graders view their city and their school's assets and needs.

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Students from Columbia School conduct a community interview
Creating Opportunities for Students to Learn Through Civic Journalism
Students ask questions and explore ideas that are meaningful to them and their experiences. This facilitates deeper and richer conversations about important issues in their community.
Amy and David pose with Day One student activists, photo from the Day One facebook
Bringing Community Voices Into the Classroom
The presentation touched on many of the students' Youth Voices topics and provided information on how to conduct community outreach, connect with public officials, and working together to achieve a goal.
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From the Science Field into the Classrooms
In El Monte California, Durfee School students learn valuable skills from guest speakers who are conducting on-the-ground science base researchers.
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Investigation: Making the Valley Mall the Place to Be In El Monte
El Monte, CA: Frank Wright Middle School students interview El Monte residents and city officials on the cities revitalizing efforts.
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Investigation: Encouraging El Monte Residents To Use Less Water
This is important because if we do not take action to fight against the drought, The City of El Monte and much of California will have an increasing shortage of water.
Durfee students measure the circumference of a tree as part of the data they are collecting to better understand how trees keep the ground cool | Photo: Amigos de los Rios Facebook
Making Durfee School Cooler with Trees and Flowers
If the land temperature is lowered and the air is made fresher by the flowers, it would make the school's environment healthier.
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