ABOUT

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of Schools Streets and Beyond is to intervene in the lives of at risk and oppressed students at the middle and secondary school levels, and effect a radical transformation in their self concepts by exposing them to a broad and unconventional spectrum of knowledge (liberation pedagogy) and experiences.

Our multi faceted mentoring and academic support program incorporates conventional pedagogical models; high teacher expectancy/collaborative classrooms as well as non-conventional prescriptions and models such as Jacqueline Irvine’s cultural synchronicity and Paolo Freire’s dialogical method.

SSB exists to facilitate each student’s successful transition into higher education.

Having said this, it is not enough to tell at risk and oppressed young people to “behave and do your homework so you can get into a good college and live happily ever after.”

Critical world perspective is the goal here. The behavioral modification process becomes self initiated in the SSB analysis, when young people are able to connect the dots.

In the process of developing a critical world view, our students are challenged to discover alternative perspectives to the prevailing notions of success which are rooted in individualism, materialism and consumerism: It is our perspective that these models are destroying planet earth and reducing the majority of the earth’s population to economic slavery.

While SSB works to expose and help students process unpleasant truths about the world in which they find themselves-it is not enough. The reality of fascism, racism, sexism, classism, poverty and oppression begs the question of “where is the hope in all this?”

It is a most difficult question.

It is the question we are here to help our young people answer.

Our formidable network of educators, industry professionals, public servants, community activists, parents and people of good will who share our commitment to social, education and economic justice, makes the question answerable.

The unpleasant truth and hope are not incongruent. What is the formula? Very simple. SSB and its partners walk the talk.

Watching young people transform in response to integrity and compassion is a gratifying experience; and a funny thing happens when adults model the behavior they ask their young people to emulate and do what they say they’re going to do…

Young people start to believe. Imagine that.

A world of young people who believe in the power of their own ideas and their ability to make them happen.

What’s your dream? Well, let’s make it happen.