Work particularly relevant to young people is from three incubators: Syracuse (The Young and the Wireless), Maryland (The New Voters) and Northwestern (Shift). However, much of the News21 content is aimed at young people, so several other stories are of interest.
- Children of Immigrants Face Struggle
The children of immigrants in California carry the legacy of their parents’ sacrifices and the promise of a better future for themselves and the state. But breaking free from cycles of poverty is a debilitating struggle. Latino youth in both Los Angeles and the iconic farm worker city of Delano face rigid barriers to social ascension.
- No Classrooms or Grades in a Minnesota School
The Minnesota New Country School is a project-based school, where the students decide their own curriculum. The model has been spreading through the country, with the help of grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
- Fighting Battles: Latinos in the Military
Fighting Battles tells the stories of Latinos and their experiences in the military, from the first non-citizen U.S. soldier killed in Iraq to an activist who is trying to counter the military’s recruitment efforts in heavily Latino communities. The stories are told in video, text and photos. A Flex/Flash presentation is used to present data in a visually compelling way.
- Rebuilding New Orleans from the School Up
Hurricane Katrina washed away most of New Orleans’ traditional public schools and cleared the way for a new “open-choice” system dominated by charters. These schools draw students from all over the city. What happens when communities are fractured and new ones emerge?
- Behind the Newark Charter School Fund
When the Newark Charter School Fund was announced in April 2008, it certainly created a splash. True, Newark schools had been getting increased attention with the election of its young, Ivy-educated mayor, Cory Booker. Several Newark schools had been commended on their own merits. But the creation of the $20 million fund placed Newark squarely on the education reform stage, primed to attract big private money. Since then, Fund officials have immersed themselves in the Newark education scene, getting to know the players and the schools and ascertaining needs.
- One Less Bell to Answer: Auditing Charters
It’s been four years since the New York State Legislature authorized the State Comptroller to audit all public schools, including charter schools. And almost two years since the charter schools began their constitutional challenge to that legislation.
Now, the charter schools have an answer. Sort of. Yes, the New York Court of Appeals said, the charter schools were right. They don’t have to be audited by the state comptroller. For now, but that could change.
- Newark: Welcome to the Renaissance City
Since riots racked the city in the 1960s, Newark has endured several aborted attempts at revival. Recent developments, though, are leading residents and visitors alike to believe that they may now be witnessing a rebirth with traction, stemming from an unlikely place. While investment opportunities in real estate and business have certainly caught the attention of glitterati, it’s the city’s charter schools that have captured the imagination of philanthropists and policy wonks alike.
- Gimme Shelter: Story of a Moving School
Money lies at the heart of the battle between charter schools and their public school counterparts, and in New Jersey, the lack of money for school facilities is on the front line. See how one school in New Jersey solved its facilities problem.
- Upper Peninsula History: American Indian Education
Since the European arrival in the United States, formal education has been a sorrowful experience for many American Indians. The results? High high-school dropout rates. Click on the time line to track the beginnings of the problem and then learn how education has evolved and improved over time for this population. Hear Upper Peninsula tribal historians describe their local educational histories.
- Money 101: Financial Literacy Courses Take Root
Much can be learned from a crisis. In classrooms around the country, first-graders learn from Sammy Rabbit that saving is a habit. Middle-schoolers manage bank accounts and high-schoolers develop personal financial plans. In New Jersey, education officials are vetting changes in the K-12 core curriculum, to require more comprehensive instruction of financial-literacy concepts.
- Newark Schools Fight Back Against Charters
Challenged by a growing number of high-performing charter schools within its bounds, the Newark, N.J., public school district announced an ambitious plan to turn around its schools to create a system that is bolder, more accountable, more transparent and more innovative.
- A 14-Year-Old's Life on the Ojibwe Rez
Leah Carrick, 14, is a member of the Ojibwe Indian tribe and grew up on the Bay Mills Indian Community in Brimley, Mich. Leah takes us inside her home to show us what she loves about rural life on the reservation and hints at her hopes for the future.
- Refuge on the Michigan Reservation: 3 Teens Up Close
Educators have long worried about the grim statistics surrounding American Indian high-school students. Dropout rates in particular have remained stubborn and high, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Fifteen percent of American Indian kids nationwide drop out of school, a rate second only to Hispanic students, at 21 percent.
American Indian tribes in Michigan are trying to lower these dropout rates by creating their own reservation charter schools. Hear three American Indian teens talk about their experiences in these schools.
- Careers: A Diverse Generation Explores its Choices
“What do we want to do when we grow up? Oh, wait, that’s now! ” This project explores how young people use technology and creativity to start their careers, even in tough economic times.
- Latino Kids Show Grit to Gain Education
Building Success turns the tables on most stories about Latinos and education, focusing on programs in Phoenix and Tulsa, Okla., that have won national recognition for helping Latino students close the achievement gap. A Flash video introduces the project, which is then told through video, using a unique player that allows the user to access stories, graphics and data without exiting the video.
- Community: A Diverse Generation Explores its Choices
Young people, from artists to activists, organize themselves around shared experiences or values to connect with each another.
- NYC Charter Schools in Depth
Charter schools have grown rapidly in the city, with notable effects on the public school system. Enrollment data shows that Harlem’s zoned public schools, for example, are now educating more children who live in poverty and more children whose first language is not English. Text stories, photos, graphics, video.
- Young Voters: An Ascendant Group
This ascendant voting group has the GOP re-evaluating its message and has educators worried about civic education. Stories also touch on youth activism and blend voices of the young in a unique tag video player. Text stories, photos, graphics, quiz, tables, data, slideshow, video.
- Identity: A Diverse Generation Explores its Choices
This collection of stories explores ways young people form a sense of who they are and what they stand for though culture, morality, ethnicity, politics and sexuality.
- The Young and the Wireless: The On-the-Road Blog
As the News21 reporters from Syracuse traveled the nation, they offered insights into what they saw and the reporting process. Their tour included exploring how youth, from pre-teens to late-20s, use technology in 11 demographically distinct U.S. cities, including Lincoln City, Ore.; Sioux City, Iowa; Fort Campbell, Ky.; , Hopkinsville, Ky., Los Alamos, N.M.; El Mirage, Ariz.; Baton Rouge, La.; Groveland, Fla.; Clermont, Fla.; and Branson, Mo.
- Webisode Contest: How Youth See Technology
Make a soap Webisode and win $1,000, $500, $300 or $200. Check the details, submit your video and maybe you’ll reap the big bucks once the contest ends Dec. 31.
- A Diverse Generation Confronts its Future
This series of stories shows how young people connect with those they love — friends, parents, siblings and partners.
- Gay in America:
When culture and sexuality collide: At some point, nearly everyone grapples with their identity – faith, family, sexual orientation. But it can be even more difficult for minorities or immigrants struggling to sort through their sexuality. Video, timeline, text.
- Bollywood, the American Way:
One young woman, hooked on Indian cinema on a long plane ride, turned her obsession into a full-time project and created, The Bollywood Ticket. Video, text.
- Sibling Dynamics in Immigrant Families
This series, through the voices of several adult children of immigrants, explores what happens when the next generation’s culture and values collide. Video, text, photos.
- Like Mother, Like Daughter:
Three cultures. Two generations. One bond. This series delves into the lives of mothers who came to the United States from other countries and the daughters they have raised here, focusing on career, family and cultural perspectives. Video, text.
- This Muslim-American Life:
A six-story package explores the lives of second-gen Muslim-Americans from various perspectives: culture, arts, community, young adults’ activist, artistic voices and more. Text, video, graphics.
- Food, Faith and Bacon (now there's a holy trinity)
There are Hindus who haven’t set foot in a temple in a decade, but still refuse to order a burger. And Muslims who smoke and drink, but won’t eat a pork chop. And Jews who haven’t been to synagogue for awhile still pick bacon bits out of Cobb salad. Text, glossary.
- Coming Out Atheist
As teens, young nonbelievers start thinking that it just doesn’t make sense anymore, and for years, it’s their secret… then, in college, surrounded by more open-minded peers, they come out of the dark, still-stigmatized atheist closet. Text, charts, video, sidebars.
- Money Matters and the Young
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago has started programs and initiatives targeting young people through interactive workshops, seminars and activities. Text, chart.
- Navigating the Twists and Turns of Interfaith Marriage
If dating someone of a different faith is tricky, then marrying someone of a different faith can be downright difficult and problematic. Whether a couple about to enter into matrimony is Catholic and Jewish, or Muslim and Mormon, or Buddhist and Protestant, uniting the traditions, cultures and beliefs of two people, and two families, is undeniably complex. Text, video, sidebars.
- For the Love: Professional Passions of Six Adults
A half-century ago it was a white picket fence, 2.5 kids and a secure job to support them. Today it encompasses the hopes of a constantly changing America, and what constitutes a successful life is a definition that’s just as volatile. Ask five young people what they hope to accomplish as adults, and you’ll likely get five very different answers. Video, text.
- The Detour Years:
A series of podcasts explores less-traditional post-college experiences like moving to a small Texas artists’ enclave, joining VISTA and taking an extended road trip. Photos, audio.
- Health Care Options and the Young:
Most college graduates bid farewell to their insurance plans the same day they bid farewell to their alma mater. But some states and private insurance companies are addressing the increasing numbers of uninsured young adults with programs or laws to make the transition to the working world a little easier, and healthier. The question is whether these policies are enough. Text, photos, video, graphics.
- Volunteerism or Service: Young People Explore Options
From an Air Force recruit to a political volunteer and a Cuban-American activists, the young in America are passionate about their choices. Text, audio, galleries.
- Florida Cowboy Ropes in Technology to Help his Herd
On the farm … and on cattle.com Cows. Pails. Rope. High-speed Internet connection. Matthew Gonzalez of Groveland, Fla., is a modern cowboy who’s expanded his set of tools. He’s knitting his digital and farm lives into one. How’s it working out for him? His show cows are prize-winners.
- College Town Residents Think About Technology
Train the video camera on many students and residents of Ann Arbor, Mich., and they offer interesting insights into how to rebuild the world using technology
- The Young and the Wireless: Next-Gen Empowerment
Technology has a varying impact on young people in 11 kinds of American communities, defined by categories more than geography. This video presentations examine how technology affects young people’s relationships with friends, family, institutions, education, etc.
- Soldiers Refine Skills Using Video Games
The earliest videogames by the Atari Company lay down a rule: No player could ever harm a “human” character. Things have changed. Halo and Call of Duty simulate war and killing, and they sell millions of copies a month. The U.S. Army has adopted many videogame-style technologies to train soldiers in battlefield procedures and rules of engagement. Soldiers at Fort Campbell in Hopkinsville, Ky.,say that while these simulators look like games they’ve played, it’s very different for them now.
- Michigan Student Launches Mybandstock.com
University of Michigan has long had the reputation of being a hotbed for young entrepreneurs. One example is Bobby Madsen, a rising senior, and Mybandstock.com, the start up he co-founded. By allowing people to buy “stock” of a band or a musician, this Website aims to bridge the gap between artists and fans and revolutionize the entire music industry.
- Louisiana Educators Take Crash Course in Mac Basics
Teachers at The Dunham School in Baton Rouge, La. spend an intense three days learning how to use Apple computers. They’re eager yet apprehensive about taking on the role of student. One teacher reflects on her experience on the “Val Cam.”
- A Monorail Breaks Racial Boundaries
High School students in Baton Rouge came up with a plan to unite black and white neighborhoods — build a monorail. Join their teacher, Leroy Johnson, and his friends as they give you a little tour and explain their dream.
- A Mother and Daughter Discuss Dangers of the Internet
A mother sits down with her teen daughter to make sure she is aware of the dangers of giving out too much information over the Web, even though she admits to social networking through facebook.
- Bridging the Generations: Teens Volunteer at Home
Teens are constantly connected to the world through texting or the Internet – except when they voluntarily “unplug.” Watch as young people in Florida bridge the generation gap by giving up one kind of connection for another.
- A Father and Son Team Runs Martial Arts Academy
Some parents can’t seem to find a common ground with their children, especially when their children are in their teenage years. But for Randy and Brett Gordon, their father and son relationship has helped them run the Trio Martial Arts Academy in Clermont, FL. Brett’s dad, Randy, openly admits that had it not been for his son’s martial arts talent and ability to network on the Internet, their business would not be as successful. .
- Two Middle School Students Teach Their Teacher
After two middle school students approached their teacher about a program they learned called “Scratch,” she decided to let them teach the entire class how to use it. See how this became a learning experience for everyone.
- Technology Brings Two Friends Together
Our modern gadgets often keep us from each other, but sometimes they do just the opposite. Cesar Castillo and Ivan Venzor met in their high school broadcasting class last year, and through making a video together, formed a new friendship.
- Ruby's Regift: A Brother and Sister Build a Computer
Ruby, a fourteen year-old girl, surprises her younger brother, Omar, on his birthday with the opportunity to build his own computer from recycled parts at a community workshop. They have a typical relationship, Ruby describes her brother as a nerd with a lot of friends and Omar sees Ruby as nice but sometimes a little mean. Find out if their sibling rivalry will prevent them from getting the job done and what Omar plans to do with his new gadget.
- One Man's Quest to Find Himself Through Technology
Jim Heinrich was at a crossroads. It wasn’t until one break-up and a subsequent divorce that he decided that something needed to change. He was 40 when it finally happened. In this conversation, Heinrich tells his granddaughters why technology could have helped him find himself much sooner.
- Stuggles of a Long Distance Relationship Online
Karina Bustos moved from Columbia to the United States with her mom for a better life. This is an often-voiced motivation by the Latinos who comprise 36 percent of residents around El Mirage, AZ. After five years there, the 23-year-old works three jobs so that one day she can continue her education, leave El Mirage, and reunite with her husband.
- A Large Family Connects without Technology
When Miguel and Maria moved to Arizona from Guatemala as a teenagers, they walked for two days and two nights through the desert. She was 13. He was 15. They were escaping a raging civil war in Guatemala. They got married and started a family. Twenty-one years later they have seven children between the ages of five and 21. They all live at home in a modest 3-bedroom house. As for digital technology, their attitude is one of indifference. They don’t have the money to even hope for the latest and greatest, but they still manage to stay “connected.”
- Gen Lap: A Little Girl Uses her Neighbor's Computer
Her assignment was to define shapes and lines. She was already late for school, and her assignment was nearly past due. Jalea Grubbs ran next door to the Challenge House charity to use a personal computer.
- Yesterday's Mayor, Today's Neighbor
Eighteen new computers are in the hands of Wally Bryan’s friends in Hopkinsville, Ky. Actually, these friends are neighbors, too. Five years ago, Wally used to be their mayor. But he gave it up to help them – and to live where they live. He’s grown his charity out of an apartment and into two homes, with two more to come.
- Gen Lap: Mother Talks to Son About Texting
Mother and son share three different views on text messaging. Watch this installment and try to figure out who is lapping whom?
- Kaity the Cartoon Blogger Gains Popularity Through Art
In Lincoln City, Ore., the coolest kid in school isn’t the quarterback or a cheerleader. She’s an artist. Students and teachers alike from Taft High School routinely visit Kaity’s Web site to see if they made it into her “doodle diary.” Her cartoons capture moments in her life that she wants to remember. She posts her favorites to her blog: Frankensteinbeck.
- Adoptive Parents Set Strick Guidlines to Protect Child
As a young child, Kiera Haun suffered physical, mental, emotional and sexual abuse in her biological parent’s house. After five years and seven foster homes, she moved in with the Haun family. However, the family quickly encountered trouble when Kiera began attracting the attention of men much older than her on the Internet. They quickly set new rules to ensure her safety online.
- A Video Montage of High School Texts
We asked high schoolers at Taft High School in Lincoln City, Ore. what their last text message was while taking their portraits. We edited their responses into a video montage.
- A Grandfather Discusses Atomic Bombing of Japan
Louis Rosen moved to New Mexico in the 1940s to work on a secret project that he was told could end World War II. Fourteen months later, the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities, killing more than 200,000 civilians. This is a conversation between him, his grandson and great-grandson … who is part Japanese.
- I am a Geek: One Student's Proud Proclamation
Eric is proud to be a geek, although it can be challenging to fit in. He showcases the technologically advanced skills that earned him the title, including building programs and games in Los Alamos, N.M.
- The Most Delicious Baked Alaska Ever: A Podcast
A 12-year-old and a student of NPR worked together, in a rural village in New Mexico called Chimayo, to create a podcast in a short period of time (largely by sending mp3 files and comments back and forth for weeks on end). The challenging undertaking was thrilling, hilarious, and sometimes maddening. But definitely rewarding.
- Technolgy in Church, Not in the Home
Just off the highway to Branson, the Missouri entertainment capitol that some call the Christian Vegas, a painted plaque reads “Welcome to CBF.” Canaan Bluffs Farm is home to cows, chickens, garden beds, and the Virnigs, a family of 10. Instead of congregating around T.V. and computer screens, the family practices the simple life. When they go to church, however, they embrace a sense of balance, perhaps best expressed by their 18-year-old daughter.
- Technology Enhances the Life of an Autistic Boy
The story of how an autistic boy’s ability to communicate depends on technology.
- Gen Lap: What Technology Means to the Homeless
What happens when your youth is gone and society has left you behind? What does technology means to you then? We asked a homeless man in Philadelphia.
- Making a Difference through a Charitable Podcast
Julie and Emily Zauzmer had a great idea for how to use their tech-savvy skills to bring charity to the world. Here’s their story from Pennsylvania.
- Inner City Schools Keep Up With Technology
Meet Marcie Hull. She is the technology coordinator and the digital arts teacher at Science Leadership Academy, a brand-new, one-to-one-laptop Philadelphia magnet school for science, technology, math and entrepreneurship. Around the country, educators like Hull are trying whatever they can think of to reform (inner-city) public school systems and boost standardized test scores. The one-to-one laptop initiative is one of many recent examples.