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A history of the 2008 Ohio Youth Agenda
In February of 2007 students from across Ohio came together and created the 2007 Ohio Youth Agenda aimed at making changes for educational & economic success.
In December of 2007, after nearly one year of work and events, over 175 students from across the state of Ohio lead the Youth Agenda conference where they created the 2008 Ohio Youth Agenda. Students reinforced their desire to address ways to make change for their educational and economic success by revising and updating the past year's agenda. Their responses are an encompassing view of what needs they want addressed and the approach they believe is most adequate. Our Youth are ready to make an impact. Together we will change the state of Ohio with the Ohio Youth Agenda as our guidebook.
Please download our 2008 Ohio Youth Agenda (237KB, PDF Format) and join us in having our voices heard while making our schools a better place for all students. Or click here to see the specific items included in the 2008 Ohio Youth Agenda. The Ohio Youth Agenda at Work:
Here are examples of how the Ohio Youth Agenda has begun to make an impact on legislators and in the classroom.
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Policy Paper on the Ohio Graduation Test by Mason Pesek |
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As a student in one of Ohio's many public high schools, I can say that without a doubt, the most dreaded and loathed part of every student's education is the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT). Day after mind-numbing day, Ohio's students are subjected to hours of review and rote memorization. Rather than emphasizing the value of thought and free thinking, over the course of our preparation for the OGT we are taught that there is only one right answer among several multiple choice selections. Such a test does not support the idea of applying and using knowledge, unlike a more thorough assessment such as a research project or paper. During the course of a student's sophomore year in high school, he or she is likely to review for the OGT for at least one hour a day; an hour that could have been used for class discussion, projects, or other valuable classroom activity. |
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An Example of a Full Curriculum by Gabe Pincus |
Shaker Heights High School is nationally renowned not only for having great academics, but also for being a school that is easily adaptable to each individual student. Every Shaker student has an extensive list of classes from which to choose, ranging from the mundane freshmen honors math to highly specific music composition, and everything in between. Shaker also offers enriching extracurricular activities, allowing students to delve more deeply into their passions.
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Connecting to the Culture and Background of the Students They Teach: A Checklist for Teachers |
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In order to implement the Ohio Youth Agenda item about having teachers who are able to connect to the cultural and background of the students they teach, students created the following checklist in 2008. As you read over the checklist think about examples on how to make these comments come to life. |
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Social Workers Needed in the Schools |
The High School years for many students can be very difficult for them and their families. High School is very likely to be an emotional roller coaster for most students. The Success Tech High School shootings in Cleveland Ohio could have been prevented if a student had the opportunity to talk about his problems and have some available outlet to discuss his home and school situations. Youth Voices declares that we need counselors in our schools for mental and social health problems, not just for scheduling classes. Different things that students at school are struggling with everyday range from family relationships, friends, school performance, sexuality, substance abuse, and many other high risk actions that are related to mental and social health.
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