In The News

MTV Announces October as Education Month, Empowering Students to Prepare Themselves for High School and College Success

Leading Into A Month of Education-Related Elements On- & Off-Air, "THINK Over Your School" Premieres September 29 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT

Boost Mobile RockCorps Rewards Student Volunteers with Concert Featuring Some of Today's Hottest Artists

NEW YORK, Sept. 19
PRNewswire

MTV: Music Television today announced the launch of October as "Education Month" to encourage and empower young people with the tools they need to graduate from high school ready for college and work. The network's think MTV: EDUCATION initiative, which is in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is being highlighted on- air every day in October, featuring long-form shows, PSAs, MTV News segments and other programming.

To lead into the effort, MTV will premiere THINK OVER YOUR SCHOOL on September 29th at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. With the help of MTV, designers, and their principals, and in partnership with the New York City Department of Education, a group of Brooklyn, NY, students "THINK over" their lunchroom by transforming the space into a multi-purpose resource to support students' academic and creative endeavors. The lunchroom at the Bushwick campus, which is home to four schools, now offers flexible spaces that can be used by all students for dining, student artwork, performances, meetings, and small group work. In addition, the space now includes new technology tools including digital projectors, computer stations, and sound domes.

The think MTV: EDUCATION initiative responds to recent statistics on the state of education in America*. According to the Manhattan Institute, nearly three of ten public school students, and almost half of all African-American and Latino youth, do not graduate from high school. While most students aspire to attend college, only about two-fifths will make it there prepared for college-level work.

"It's important that we all recognize the alarmingly low high school graduation rates among American students, and particularly minority youth," commented Ian Rowe, VP of Strategic Partnerships & Public Affairs for MTV. "The vast majority of young people want to, and believe they can, go to college. We wanted to tell the story of a group of young people who worked with their teachers and principal to shape their own academic experience and environment."

Schools like those located on the Bushwick campus are part of a nationwide effort to help more students graduate ready for the future. Effective high schools feature the new 3R's: rigorous college-preparatory courses, meaningful relationships between teachers and students, and relevant hands-on learning that links the classroom to the real world.

"Today, young people need the same skills for success in college and our knowledge-based economy," said Tom Vander Ark, executive director of education, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "With MTV's help, we can empower young people to stand up for their right to a high-quality education that prepares them for success in college and work."

Boost Mobile RockCorps worked with MTV to "THINK over" the lunchroom on the Bushwick Campus. Every student who volunteered at least four hours in transforming their school earned a ticket to the Boost Mobile RockCorps concert on September 24th at Radio City Music Hall, hosted by Lil Jon and featuring the some of the hottest names in hip-hop: T.I., Fat Joe, Young Jeezy and more. Boost Mobile RockCorps encourages volunteerism in young people by offering concert tickets in exchange for four hours of volunteer work with a non-profit partner.

Throughout October, think MTV: EDUCATION will be featured prominently on-and off-air including new set of PSAs featuring high school students talking candidly about their aspirations for college and beyond; MTV News correspondent Sway Calloway heading back to class as a participant in Teach For America Week 2005, an annual event during which leaders from all walks of life spend an hour of their time teaching children from some of our nation's lowest-income communities.

Pride in Bushwick

metro new york, May 11, 2006
by patrick arden /

Walking up the steps of Bushwick High School, Dee Perez paused and took a breath.

“I used to come as far as the door before turning around to leave,” recalled the former student, who dropped out in 1992 after only three months of class.

Back then, Dee, now 27, was a boy named David.

“I was teased constantly, because I was feminine and stood out,” she said. “I had a hard time accepting myself, I wanted to fit in so bad. But yet I knew I was different, and I tried to hide it. My mom used to ask, ‘Why don’t you want to go to school?’ I couldn’t tell her, ‘They’re calling me gay.’ I eventually turned to drugs, which became my armor against the pain, and to face society. A lot of kids are still going through that.”

Back to school

Yesterday Perez returned to conduct a workshop for Pride Week at the Bushwick School for Social Justice, one of several smaller institutions that are now replacing the larger high school, which had long been plagued by safety and academic problems. Tomorrow the Bushwick School for Social Justice will inaugurate a student-run Queer Straight Alliance, a first for the area. “This is Bushwick,” Perez said, “not the Village.”

In 2004 the City Council overrode Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s veto of the Dignity in All Schools Act, which outlawed the kind of bullying that led Perez to drop out, but the law has yet to be implemented. That’s persuaded Perez to take matters into her own hands.

Eight years ago, the transgendered woman had started Gays and Lesbians of Bushwick Empowered, a program of the community group Make the Road by Walking. Last year GLOBE helped two students who were being harassed at Bushwick High School, not only by students but by security guards. Perez went on to develop a Safe Schools Campaign, which has now been picked up by the Bushwick School for Social Justice, Bushwick Community High School and the East Brooklyn Congregation High School for Public Service.

“During my years as an educator, I’ve seen too many gay and lesbian students drop out,” said Terry Byam, principal of the Bushwick School for Social Justice. “When I became a principal, I wanted to make sure all of my young people graduated from high school. We need to advocate for everyone, regardless of race, social class, or sexuality.”

In her workshop, Dee told the students that 28 percent of gay, lesbian and transgendered young people drop out of school. Many contemplate suicide. “School is supposed to be a safe environment,” she said. “You may not accept people, but you don't have to disrespect them.”

Kids in the hall

Out in the hall, two 16-year-old girls were hugging. They identified themselves as best friends — one was bisexual, the other straight.

“Some people were surprised when I came out, because I’ve had a boyfriend,” said the first girl. “But I can’t change just because people want me to.”

Perez smiled. “It’s beautiful,” she said. “I’m actually seeing change.”

Radio by youth, highlighting youth activism

On this edition of Rise Up Radio:

• ROOTS, a collective using hip-hop culture to organize around military recruitment;
• Kayhan Irani, an enthusiastic practitioner of Theater of the Oppressed, which uses theater to promote social change;
• Students Mayra Cantos and Stephanie Persaud at the Bushwick School for Social Justice, who are organizing a bathroom justice campaign to protest the condition of bathrooms in their school.

Rise Up Radio airs every Friday night from 9 to 10pm on WBAI/Pacifica Radio 99.5FM in the New York metro area and streaming live on WBAI.org