Youth ROC Students Distinguished Lecturers at UW-Madison

The Youth ROC organizing team members recently gave a presentation at the University of Wisconsin—Madison to undergraduate students pursuing a career in education.

Three Youth ROC students developed and gave the presentation on how budget cuts are impacting high schools and what needs to be done to fix the funding crisis. Most importantly the students were able to share personal stories on how this issue impacts them on a daily basis.

“People keep saying that schools got more money this year than ever before, but as students we know better. If the money our schools get doesn’t meet the cost to continue, then in our lives it is a cut,” said Celina Redd a senior at Rufus King High School.

Youth ROC students interacted with the undergraduate students starting with an ice breaker called “Dream School.” This activity enables students to brainstorm about the positives and negatives of what schools look like now and then envision what their dream school would look like. Students are challenged to ask why every child doesn’t deserve to go to a dream school.

Jasmine Bounds, a student at Milwaukee’s Bradley Technical and Trade High School, told the class, “Wisconsin has schools with small class sizes. Yet some of my classes have nearly 45 students in them. My school has a great athletic program, but a rural school up north is lucky to have girls’ basketball. Even in the suburbs, students have access to advanced courses but have to pay really high fees to take them. My dream school would include small classes, great athletics, and a wide variety of courses without charging students high fees. I don’t understand why a quality education is a dream to students in Wisconsin; it should be the State’s top priority to make this dream a reality.”

Presenting at UW-Madison was a great experience for Youth ROC members because they were able to express the main issues they deal with every day and encourage future teachers to get involved in the fight for better schools. Many of the undergraduate students were shocked and amazed at the stories students told during the presentation and are now excited to join the fight for a quality public education.

For more information on Youth ROC organizing team activities or to start a Youth ROC club at your school, please contact Jennifer Epps or Alexis Anderson at 414-384-9094.

— Youth ROC intern Kay Yang, a student at the Milwaukee High School of the Arts

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