Global Studies graduate puts class project into action; increases middle school students' poverty awareness
by Emily K. Coleman / Mar 14, 2012
Editor's Note: Tracy Kitzman, a Global Studies in Education Online graduate, recently implemented her capstone project from the program, a paper she authored for EPS 590 titled "Conceptualizing Poverty in the Educational Setting: A Student Response to Local and Global Poverty." Her paper focused on the devastating effects of chronic poverty both locally and globally and argued that teachers must educate their students concerning this national and international humanitarian issue. It highlighted how a group of middle school students created a global project they named Project Harambee. Project Harambee had a two-fold goal: to build school-wide awareness of impoverished children living locally and abroad and to raise money to support organizations sustaining impoverished children, both at home and abroad. "The project demonstrated that middle school students have the ability to conceptualize, bring awareness, and create solutions to eradicate global poverty," Kitzman said. The below article outlines her project in action.
MARCH 13, 2012 (Saukvalley.com, Dixon, IL, Emily K. Coleman)— Lizzie Ohme, 12, could count every rib in the picture of Somalian children.
The Reagan Middle School seventh-grader didn't know much about Somalia going into Tracy Kitzman's social studies class, but she and Carlie Sherman, 13, are heading up the project to raise money for the impoverished kids.