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Shaping
Tomorrow’s Leaders: Global Kids
By
Jan Aaron
Do
you want your kids to become world leaders? Then, get them involved
with Global Kids, Inc., a non-profit youth organization that “turns
today’s students into tomorrow’s community leaders and global
citizens,” says executive director, Carole Artigiani. “Our mission
is to get kids of all backgrounds and all levels of society to
participate in their communities and the larger political process,”
she explains.
Members have led workshops on democracy and peace building for
youngsters in Croatia, Japan, Denmark, and Northern Ireland; participated
in the UN World Conference Against Racism in South Africa; The
Hague Appeal for Peace in the Netherlands, and numerous other
important international gatherings. Since September 11, the organization
has run workshops on such topics as bias awareness, civil liberties,
security, and US foreign policy.
This month, Global Kids will conduct its Annual Youth Conference,
March 26, at Tishman Hall at the New School University auditorium.
Kid-led workshops will include local and global responses to September
11; strategies to promote international understanding, mutual
respect and the role of youth in promoting an equitable and just
world. Members plan their conference, based on kids’ concerns,
after school at the organization’s Soho headquarters.
A former educator, Ms. Artigiani created and founded Global Kids
in 1991. Since then, her organization has been widely recognized
for its work in promoting interracial harmony, violence prevention
and school-to-work programs.
Global Kids currently serves youngsters in seven schools in Brooklyn,
the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Program activities take
place in school, after school and during school vacation. Scholastically,
Ms. Artigiani says, 95 percent of Global Kids graduate from high
school and 80 percent go on to college – many on scholarships
based on leadership ability and commitment to service. “Many are
first in their families to go to college.” For more information
call, 212-226-0130.#
Education Update, Inc., P.O. Box 20005, New York, NY 10001. Tel:
(212) 481-5519. Fax: (212) 481-3919. Email: ednews1@aol.com.
All material is copyrighted and may not be printed without express consent of
the publisher. © 2001.
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