Hearing Youth Voices Presents Concerns, Suggestions For New London Schools

For the second year, a group dedicated to bringing up student concerns with New London Public Schools presented concerns collected through surveys and interviews.

Hearing Youth Voices made the presentation Wednesday at the Public Library of New London. The group is a collaboration between adults and students, mostly teenagers attending New London High School, to assess issues and make recommendations on improving school environment.

The group’s activities included political education workshops, debates, public speaking, and focus groups. Wednesday’s presentation showcased the results of surveys given to 154 students as well as some creative work, such as poetry and skits.

“We want to make New London High School a great high school and a place where kids can feel safe and supported,” said Yanitza Cubilette, one member of Hearing Youth Voices.

The surveys concluded that 80 percent of responders face “serious life issues” outside of school. Cubilette said these troubles lead to a loss of academic motivation as well as less frequent attendance. She also said some students complained that the school was not flexible enough in addressing certain issues.

One student told Hearing Youth Voices he was unable to get credits for a history class. He said that since it was too late to go into an English as a Second Language course, he had to take an online course. The student said this was a more difficult route, since he had to take it alone without assistance.

“We want many opportunities for students to regain credit if they lose it,” said Cubilette. “This could be after school or during the summer, not just online classes.”

Some students were dissatisfied with the school’s curriculum. One former New London student wrote that his attendance had improved since he began attending Grasso Tech.

“I skipped at New London because I wasn’t learning anything,” he wrote.

One member of Hearing Youth Voices said in a video presentation that he did not think the classes dedicated enough time to areas that are relevant to the student body, in particular black and Hispanic culture. The group recommended that finding ways to connect classroom topics with student experiences would improve student interest and performance.

“We want students to have classes that they can apply to their real lives,” said Hearing Youth Voices member Deryn Burrel. “We want teachers to teach in a creative way.”

Other recommendations included dedicating more attention to college preparation, such as making students aware of the application process and financial aid, and a teacher-student work group to meet monthly.

Concerns raised in last year’s presentation included alleged racism, sexism, and favoritism as well as the achievement gap and the curriculum’s focus on preparation for Connecticut’s standardized tests.

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