News
CAT RECEIVES MAJOR CITY FUNDING
August 15, 2009CAT has received funding from the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development to implement Literacy Leaders, a neweducational support and leadership program, for 500 students in eight NYC middle schools.
Educators recognize the crucial link between achievement in middle school and graduation from high school. The Blueprint for Middle School Success, issued under the auspices of the New York City Department of Education, notes, “57 percent of our eighth graders…cannot read at grade level…data show that students who do not reach proficiency in the eighth grade severely reduce their chances of graduating from high school in four years.”
According to the National Council of Teachers of English, adolescent learners need:
- Experiences with diverse texts and multiple perspectives
- Authentic, student-initiated discussions about text
- Experiences to reflect critically on their own literacy processes
- Experiences examining texts critically
Literacy Leaders will engage students in a host of drama-based, interactive activities designed to strengthen their literacy, critical thinking, and social-emotional skills. Special events like CAT Youth Theatre’s issue-oriented theatre production and the NYC Student Shakespeare Festival will broaden horizons and spark enthusiasm.
A kick-off planning breakfast with the principals took place in late June. In class programming will start early in the fall.
