Jean Carter Hill is trying to do good in her hood. She lives in Englewood, Chicago. She is a retired school teacher working with kids who live in a poor community blighted by violence, drugs and crime. I met her today.
She runs a project called Imagine Englewood If …
Jean is helping me set up a citizen journalism project among young people in Chicago.
She introduced me to these three photographed here. They are all teenagers in the Chicago public school system. From left to right they are Johnnie, Michelle and Marcus.
I have given them recorders and some advice on interviewing, although they have already done some radio work before with Chicago public radio.
Michelle says she’s interested in doing something on HIV/AIDS in her community. Johnnie might do something on the high levels of lead in the soil and in the window paint in many homes in Englewood which can cause children to have learning difficulties. see more research on this here.
Marcus talked about how his school is going through alot of upheaval – twice now the local authority in Chicago have been replacing the teaching staff at his school in an attempt to improve standards. See more about turnaround schools here.
There are lots of issues for them to explore. I found this blog which gives some idea of the kinds of issues going on in the chicgo public school system.
Looking forward to getting their material – expected first week of March, we’re doing a test piece on the expectations of Obama’s presidency among Chicago public school students.
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