The {People} of the Community Schools Taskforce

There is a problem in the Philadelphia area around education. Not only are the teachers and students suffering because of the strained budgets and lack of support from the government, the parents and communities are suffering because they have lost their RIGHT to a voice in what they believe is good for their neighborhoods. With help from the Community Schools Taskforce, they are breathing new life into communities and giving overlooked neighborhoods a chance to start fresh with community schools.

The Community Schools Taskforce in Philadelphia is group of individuals representing different organizations coming together to tackle the issue of helping solve the inequities of the education system through Community Schools. Not only do they take time out of their days to meet and talk about these problems, they are coming together to advocate of educational justice and community schools in Philadelphia to address the problems of systemic poverty and economic inequities in schools to empower parents, students, and educators.

Who are some of these people that are making such a difference in these areas?

 Let me introduce you to three amazing individuals that are impacting this process and bringing their unique stories to the table. 

*Side Note* 

Due to these interviews being conducted around the city, there is some background noise in the videos! I apologize for the inconvenience!

Ron Whitehorne

Retired Teacher. Current Activist. 

Ron has been in the Philadelphia area since the 70s. Starting his career as a substitute teacher while getting his Masters, he has been an influential person in the creation of the Community Schools Taskforce by assisting in laying the groundwork for the Taskforce and the role that it plays. In the video below check out who Ron is and his thoughts on where this taskforce is heading.   Meet Ron!

Kendra Brooks 

Active Parent. Parents United Employee. 

Kendra is an active parent working for Parents United to help the unheard voices of parents share their ideas and thoughts to the administration in their schools. Kendra has developed the idea of transformative parent engagement in local neighborhood schools. In the video below, Kendra tells us a little bit about herself and why she believes that parent engagement in important in communities. Meet Kendra! 

Amber Felton

Graduate from CAPA High School in Philadelphia. Media Mobilizing Project Employee. 

Amber is a perfect person that is a part of this Taskforce. Starting when she attended CAPA High School as a student, she started the Philadelphia Student Union in her school that helped the students share their ideas and voices in regards to what happens at the school. As stated in her interview, the slogan of Media Mobilizing Project is "Movements begin with the telling of untold stories." Amber has known first hand that movements start with listening to communities and helping them out by what they want and need. Meet Amber! 

These individuals that are a part of this Taskforce bring unique stories and perspectives to the table that help form what is happening with this Community Schools Initiative in Philadelphia. It is through these people, the trust that they have built in their own communities, and their courage to implement this change, that change is finally happening. 

Stay tuned for more interviews and updates about the Community Schools Taskforce. 

Community Schools is my Jawn. #summerintern

After doing my 15-week student teaching internship at Walter Biddle Saul High School in Philadelphia, I was not ready to leave this beautiful city. Since I had an eye opening experience learning about the Philadelphia education system, I decided to intern with the Penn State Center in Philadelphia to work with the Community Schools Task Force to help start the conversation of helping schools back into underfunded neighborhoods in lower income areas.

Wait, what is a community school again?

A community school involves the community surrounding it to come together to create a democratic environment for everyone that chooses to get involved. This strategy includes several needed resources that give not only the physical paper and pens to the students, but answers the needs of the school through outlets of counseling, nursing, after school programs for students and even adults, to create a community hub for that area.

So where does that leave me and this internship?

After discussing with my boss about the impact that could potentially happen with me in Philadelphia and talking with the partners involved, the best idea was to jump on in! Right?

Being assigned to catch up on the years of struggle in one city and the impact that it has had in the education reform has been challenging. Countless hours of research, learning that there sometimes isn’t black and white when it comes to these issues, and learning that I can play a role in this system has been an incredible experience so far!

Some of my roles and responsibilities include:

- Learning a world view and approach that takes in to account power and privilege and systematic inequalities in public education

- Becoming familiar with the perspectives of stakeholders in the Philadelphia Community Schools Strategy

- Developing the initial public face for Penn State's Community School approach through the means of multimedia (i.e. blogging and video/audio)

- Participating in collaborative reflection and curriculum design for the Community Schools Ambassador program

Overall, becoming comfortable in the roles that I am given to communities that I am speaking to has been an amazing time learning about myself and others.

Keep your eye out for posts that will not only include my time here in Philadelphia, but a background and story about what is going on with the education system that is happening in our own backyard.