Global Citizenship Day Brings the World to SHS

On Thursday, October 8, Scarsdale High School hosted its 3rd annual Global Citizenship Day. The purpose of the event is to foster awareness of various problems facing the planet on an economic, environmental and political plane. The day also seeks to enlighten students about important global trends. Speakers from the local community, service organizations, professors, teachers and/or student groups offered workshops on a wide variety of topics, ranging from climate change to sustainable agriculture to educational equity to LGBT rights to a host of other topics relevant to our world today.

A discussion entitled "Race, Class and Public Education" on inequities in education was led by Zakiyah Ansari, Advocacy Director for Alliance for Quality Education. (www.aqeny.org.) AQE is a coalition mobilizing communities to keep New York true to its promise of ensuring a high-quality public school education to all students regardless of zip code. Ansari discussed various issues affecting urban public schools such as how high stakes testing can negatively impact a school and its community, overcrowding, and aggressive policing within schools. Many of the students who attended this lecture are part of social studies teacher Maggie Favretti's City 2.0 urban studies class and have an upcoming assignment to study a city block. Students were urged to think about the schools in their study area and try to understand the students who attend these schools without judgment. Ansari's message "we all do better when everyone rises" resonated with the audience.

Another workshop, led by Science Teacher and debate club faculty advisor, Joe Vaughan, and facilitated by the debate club, focused on the European Union's response to the migrant crisis.

Senior Abigail Goldstein, Debate Club Co-President, and Junior Karen Zaklama, Debate Club Officer, gave a presentation (example slide above) to provide background information to a classroom packed with students from Mr. Mounkhall's English class and Ms. Guerra's social studies class. Workshop participants were divided into groups and assigned various roles/countries to play such as Syrian migrants, Germany, Hungary, Greece, etc. Student groups then had to negotiate with each other to achieve assigned objectives such as permission to enter, aid, etc.

Ms. Favretti, who is also the faculty advisor for the Sustainable Garden Club led a workshop in the school's garden. Students from world language teacher Ms. Chan's and science teacher Ms. Konishi's classes completed tasks in the garden and harvested vegetables. Food from the garden is donated to Grace Church Pantry in White Plains and Fred's Pantry in Peekskill.

Other workshops were also very hands on and required little explanation. Social Studies Teacher, Ms. Minchillo, organized students to prepare bagged lunches for families at the Hope Soup Kitchen in New Rochelle.

There were other activities throughout the day such as a panel from the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center with a survivor, a representative from UNICEF discussing how to help children in war torn counties and many classes run by high school faculty on topics including protest art, Cuba, the upcoming presidential election and so many more. Overall, the day was a great opportunity for students to think critically about their world and true to the school's motto, Non Sibi, focus on making positive contributions. Scarsdale High School students are offered many wonderful educational experiences beyond an ordinary school day due to the dedication of its many outstanding teachers (many more than were mentioned here contributed to this day!) who develop and deliver unique programs like this one.