Socially Relevant Education
“The daily plight that many urban youth face must somehow be acknowledged by the institutions responsible for their formal education…Socially relevant critical thinking courses about how daily decision making affects life’s outcomes are vital for counteracting the impact of growing up in communities that fail to reinforce independent, introspective, and informed thought-processing about their immediate world and the world beyond.”
From the book “Beyond the Crack Generation: Surviving a Trauma Organized Culture”
Hear what disengaged students are saying…
I just want to first start by saying thank you for having the Live Above The Hype program in Camp Jarvis. I've learned so much from being in the program such as learning about who you truly are and if you really love yourself. Being in the program I've found out what's really important to me and that's my family. Before I entered the program I couldn't fix my mouth to say "love." I get support from everybody in the group and I actually feel like I'm worth something. I feel like I'm worth more than dying over a gang or over a street reputation. I never had a positive role model in my entire life. My oldest brother has life. My second brother got 17 years and it's just me and my twin left. My father died to gang violence. Mr. Vallatine is the most positive role model I have and he has influenced other minors besides me to do things positive. I never felt being a high school graduate was important until I got into the Live Above The Hype program.
I discovered the true values in my life after just a few lessons. Most of my peers come from adversity, broken families, hard core gang banging or got caught up in drugs and violence. The Live Above The Hype program helps us to embrace our past, break the chain and make a change. This program makes you see how life really is. [It] changed my whole point of view.
Live Above The Hype has affected me only positively. I learn things about life that can benefit me in many ways. This class is one of the most effective classes in Camp Jarvis because it gives us a voice. From the month time I've been in Live Above The Hype I've learned about college, dealing with anger, and how choices can affect me and people around me. Today we discussed how anger is a choice and no one has the true power to MAKE you mad. Overall, this has put a impact on my life so far because we discuss things that happens in the real world. I would love to continue L.A.T.H. program to keep me focus and would hate for it to stop. This program is good for anyone who is willing to learn.