On December 1, the entire student body of ECA attended an assembly in the Arts Hall to review a great recruitment video produced by Erika Van Natta and to hear two segments from the latest edition of Road Kill Radio (#25).
The packed hall watched attentively as the short video displayed the voices and images of ECA students speaking with passion and clarity about the Arts learning experience.
The students then turned their undivided attention to the Radio Show segments -- a report on the perils and pitfalls of social networking; and a discussion of anti-gay bullying and homophobia.
At the conclusion of the audio segments, Louise Ross (Dean of Students) opened the microphone to student reactions. Amazingly, to cheers and applause, over twenty-five students rose to express their thoughts and feelings about cyber-bullying and homophobic behavior by their peers. The discussion revealed a deep vein of compassion and solidarity among ECA students for their colleagues -- gay or straight -- and a sense that young people as well as adults need to practice open-hearted tolerance in all matters.
A truly remarkable occasion...
One final note:
When Radio Class met later that same day, students expressed awe that the work they had done in "the bubble" of radio class had such a profound effect on the entire school.
No doubt: your voices can be powerful and need to be heard.
Talk to you later,
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1 comment:
I was at the assembly on Dec. 1 -- I have never been part of such a unifying experience at ECA, and I have been a teacher there for 16 years. Thanks to the Road Kill Radio crew for putting together a profound documentary segment on homophobia and bullying. It was amazing to hear the students speak with such maturity and openness, including those who spoke during the open forum. I was impressed, uplifted and educated all at the same time.
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