Edtalksmn

This EDTalk is titled “How Debaters Will Save Democracy and Change the World.” Participation in academic debate improves student test scores, grades and graduation rates – and also fosters critical skills that strengthen civic action and agency. In this EDTalk, Amy Cram Helwich explores how academic debate - historically dominated by white, male and wealthy individuals - has now expanded to a much wider range of participants and can help strengthen critical thinking, listening, empathy, problem-solving and advocacy skills. Amy also describes how students from the Minnesota Urban Debate League's Spanish, East African and Financial Literacy debate teams utilize debate skills to create change in their communities. EDTalks is co-sponsored by AchieveMpls and The Citizens League, with generous support from the Bush Foundation and Comcast. Videography by Jeff Achen. Learn more at www.achievempls.org/edtalks or follow us on Twitter at #EDTalksMN.

This EDTalk is titled “Igniting Civic Engagement Through Service- Learning.” An informed citizenry is the foundation of a democratic society. Through service-learning experiences, students become informed citizens by researching community needs, identifying projects, connecting with experts on sustainable strategies and applying their academic skills to real-world needs. Service-learning answers the question, "Why do I need to know this?" with students as the drivers of exploration and action. In this EDTalk, Amy Meuers introduces this powerful teaching and learning approach that not only meets the academic, social and emotional needs of students but also addresses the needs of our communities and the world. Amy is chief executive officer of the National Youth Leadership Council, an international nonprofit committed to ensuring that all young people become civically informed and engaged global citizens. An ardent advocate for youth voice, Amy is a social entrepreneur with over 16 years of experience in servi

This EDTalk is titled “How to Raise Tech-Healthy Kids.” Tablets, smartphones, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and more... technology is a central part of young people’s lives today. Keeping up can be challenging, but a positive and well-informed approach can have a big impact on a child’s future and in creating new habits that lead to digitally healthy individuals. In this EDTalk, Dave Eisenmann will teach simple tips to help both kids and adults balance the use of technology in our lives. This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on January 13, 2020. EDTalks is supported by generous grants from the Bush Foundation and Comcast.

This EDTalk is titled “It’s complicated: Students, Social Media and Mental Health.” Students spend an average of 53 hours each week on social media and other technology – more than any other activity but sleeping. While many assume technology is inherently bad for student mental health, evidence suggests that it can either boost or undermine what young people need to thrive. As more and more schoolwork goes online, both the opportunities and challenges are magnified, and parents and educators need to learn how to respond. In this EDTalk, Erin Walsh will describe the key ingredients for digital wellness and share strategies to help students thrive in a world of screens. This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on January, 13, 2020. EDTalks is supported by generous grants from the Bush Foundation and Comcast.

Artistic expression can be a powerful catalyst for social change and a source of personal power for young people and their families. Since 2008, Washburn Blackbox Theatre has provided a safe space for students from a wide range of backgrounds to make visible the all-too-often invisible voices and stories of urban youth. Student actors engage in a rigorous and unique training program to create, perform and tour original theater that helps break down social barriers and build bridges among themselves and their communities. In this EDTalk, students will speak their truths about public education and how creating original theater can make change both in and out of the classroom. Presenters: Crystal Spring, Washburn High School Theatre Teacher Washburn High School Blackbox Theatre students EDTalks is co-sponsored by AchieveMpls and The Citizen's League. Thanks to Bush Foundation and Comcast for their generous financial support.

Student voice is an essential element for school health, vitality and success. The Voices Framework project team interviews students about key issues such as diversity, race, safety and school culture, and creates videos reflecting these voices and stories. The videos are then presented to school leaders, followed by facilitated conversations that unpack adult narratives and guide participants in examining their pedagogy, beliefs and practices. The Voices Framework is designed to help school leaders get to know their students in a new and authentic way and ensure that they feel valued and respected, which bolsters achievement. Staff from Brooklyn Center Community Schools will share how this process can unlock new ways to improve student achievement and strengthen school culture. Presenters: Josh Fraser, Principal at Brooklyn Center Middle and High School STEAM Ambar Hanson, Community Relationship Officer for the Mortenson Family Foundation Expanding Opportunities for Children and Families program area EDT

Salma Hussein, M.S.W., L.I.S.W., is a school social worker at South High School who works with students and families from a wide variety of countries. Drawing on her own experiences as an immigrant and her work with her students and their families, she will share how creating strong home-school partnerships, celebrating diversity and building authentic relationships is absolutely vital for student success. The Power of Strong Relationships for Student Success by Salma Hussein was part of the May 2019 #EDTalksMN event on Immigrant Voices. This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on May 6, 2019, by Jeff Achen (https://www.callsign51.com/). EDTalks is presented by AchieveMpls and the Citizens League in partnership with Indigo Education and Pollen. Thanks to our generous sponsors, the Bush Foundation and the Verne C. Johnson Family Foundation. Learn more about EDTalks at https://www.achievempls.org/edtalks.

Tea Rozman Clark is co-founder and executive director of Green Card Voices, a nonprofit that utilizes storytelling to share personal narratives of immigrant youth and adults to foster tolerance and establish better understanding between immigrant and non-immigrant communities. Born in Yugoslavia, Tea has interviewed more than 400 immigrants from over 120 countries and is editor of the organization’s six volumes of compelling stories. She will share the power of Green Card Voices storytelling for both the teller and the audience, as well as stories of Minneapolis students from the organization’s collection. Storytelling as a Tool to Empower and Build Empathy by Tea Rozman Clark was part of the May 2019 #EDTalksMN event on Immigrant Voices. This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on May 6, 2019, by Jeff Achen (https://www.callsign51.com/). EDTalks is presented by AchieveMpls and the Citizens League in partnership with Indigo Education and Pollen. Thanks to our gen

This EDTalks focuses on “Creating Gender Inclusive Schools” Our featured speaker is Jason Bucklin. Jason is the LGBTQA+ Program Coordinator for Minneapolis Public Schools and has served the district’s students, families and staff for seven years. With over 15 years of experience in LGBTQA+ youth advocacy, Jason has overseen the development and implementation of gender inclusive polices both at MPS and across Minnesota. Outside of his work in education, Jason is a photographer supporting queer-identified performers in the Twin Cities. This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on March 11, 2019. EDTalks is presented by AchieveMpls and The Citizens League in partnership with Indego Education and Pollen. EDTalks is a lively series of community conversations about public education and related issues that impact our young people. Each EDTalks features two compelling, short presentations by cutting-edge educators, youth advocates, students, artists or community leaders. EDTa

This EDTalks focuses on “Creating Inclusive Classrooms: What Success Looks Like” Our featured speaker is Jennifer Sommerness. Jennifer is the Executive Director of Inclusive Schools at Kids Included Together (KIT) and an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas. A nationally recognized leader in disability inclusion, she brings over 25 years of experience and a deep passion for inclusive education to all she does. Jennifer works closely with families, teachers, administrators and community members to create inclusive schools and communities that support students through innovative, diverse learning strategies. This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on March 11, 2019. EDTalks is presented by AchieveMpls and The Citizens League in partnership with Indego Education and Pollen. EDTalks is a lively series of community conversations about public education and related issues that impact our young people. Each EDTalks features two compelling, short presentations by

Hanane Kachman serves as Workforce Development Consultant at Fairview Health Services, where she provides expertise in specialty recruitment, workforce planning, pipeline creation, diversity and inclusion, and building partnership with educators and public officials. Hanane is currently focused on creating career pathway programs that begin in high school and continue through a variety of post-secondary opportunities, including community and four-year college, training programs for working adults, internships and fellowships. Her talk was part of the EDTalk on the role of career and technical education in the 21st century. This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on Jan. 14, 2019, by Jeff Achen (https://www.callsign51.com/). EDTalks is presented by AchieveMpls and The Citizens League in partnership with Indigo Education and Pollen. Thanks to our generous sponsors, the Bush Foundation and the Verne C. Johnson Family Foundation. Learn more about EDTalks at https:/

Sara Etzel is Director of Career & Technical Education for Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) and a national America Achieves Fellow. At MPS, Sara is leading an innovative team of educators in a systems-change effort to expand access to co-curricular STEM experiences, develop career exploration opportunities that align with Minnesota’s World’s Best Workforce legislation, and create experiential learning that better equips students to succeed in a wide range of disciplines. Her talk was part of the EDTalk on the role of career and technical education in the 21st century. This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on Jan 14, 2019, by Jeff Achen (https://www.callsign51.com/). EDTalks is presented by AchieveMpls and The Citizens League in partnership with Indigo Education and Pollen. Thanks to our generous sponsors, the Bush Foundation and the Verne C. Johnson Family Foundation. Learn more about EDTalks at https://www.achievempls.org/edtalks.

Beth Hawkins was a founding reporter at MinnPost, where she wrote Learning Curve, an education news and analysis blog. She is currently national correspondent for The 74 Million, a nonprofit news site focused on education policy, where she writes about promising policies and practices in schools throughout the country. Her talk was part of the EDTalk on Media and Public Education, where speakers discussed media coverage of public education and how it shapes attitudes towards (and engagement with) schools. This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on Oct. 15, 2018, by Jeff Achen (https://www.callsign51.com/). EDTalks is presented by AchieveMpls and The Citizens League in partnership with Indego Education and Pollen. Thanks to our generous sponsors, the Bush Foundation and the Verne C. Johnson Family Foundation. Learn more about EDTalks at https://www.achievempls.org/edtalks.

Mauri Chantel Melander Friestleben is the principal of Lucy Craft Laney at Cleveland Park Community School in North Minneapolis. Her school was featured in KARE 11’s year-long profile, “Lessons from Lucy Laney,” where she got an insider’s view of working with the media. Her talk was part of the EDTalk on Media and Public Education, where speakers discussed media coverage of public education and how it shapes attitudes towards (and engagement with) schools. This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on Oct. 15, 2018, by Jeff Achen (https://www.callsign51.com/). EDTalks is presented by AchieveMpls and The Citizens League in partnership with Indego Education and Pollen. Thanks to our generous sponsors, the Bush Foundation and the Verne C. Johnson Family Foundation. Learn more about EDTalks at https://www.achievempls.org/edtalks.

Dr. Daryl Parks is Associate Professor of English Education at Metropolitan State University, where he prepares pre-service teachers for urban teaching success. A former high school teacher, Parks works closely with urban high schools to support their effectiveness with students, teachers and administrators. Alexei Moon Casselle, aka Crescent Moon, has been actively involved in the Twin Cities hip hop scene since 1995, penning over 20 albums with various groups and touring the world as a fearless rap and spoken word artist. He is currently working towards his secondary English Language Arts licensure so he can continue inspiring young people in his community. This event was filmed on April 23, 2018 at Icehouse Mpls by Jeff Achen of https://www.callsign51.com/. Learn more about EDTalks at https://www.achievempls.org/edtalks.

Nate Eklund holds fast to the notion that life is too precious to spend it not liking your job. After spending 15 years as a high school English teacher, he authored a book on workplace cultures in schools and founded Eklund Consulting. Today he works in a variety of industries to develop thoughtful leaders, engaged employees and workplace cultures that are vibrant and fulfilling places for all. He summarizes his work as "bringing people and organizations into their uncomfortable truths and realities and then getting us out alive together.” This event was filmed on April 23, 2018 at Icehouse Mpls by Jeff Achen of https://www.callsign51.com/. Learn more about EDTalks at https://www.achievempls.org/edtalks.

Jamie Williams is a restorative practices consultant, trainer, teacher and peacemaking circle-keeper. She has worked as a Restorative Justice Coordinator in Wisconsin, supported Project Launch at the Red Cliff Reservation Early Childhood Center and the Amicus Radius Program (a Restorative Justice Program for juvenile girls) and served as a Minnesota Department of Corrections circle-keeper. Jamie is a graduate of Minneapolis Public Schools and earned her master's degree in restorative justice, restorative practices and peacemaking circles.

Maren Henderson is an Evaluation Specialist for Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), where she coordinates the Youth Participatory Evaluation program for the district. Maren uses evaluation to empower underrepresented communities and inform equity-driven decision making. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs with a concentration in youth and education policy and program evaluation. Maren is joined by Mayra Rendon, a Minneapolis Public Schools student who has participated in the Youth Participatory Evaluation program for three years. She is passionate about ensuring students have a voice in school policies that affect them.

Dr. Clay Cook is the John and Nancy Peyton Faculty Fellow in Child and Adolescent Wellbeing at the University of Minnesota and Associate Professor in the School Psychology Program. Clay co-founded the School Mental Health Assessment, Research and Training (SMART) Center at the University of Washington and is a core faculty member within the Institute of Translational Research in Children’s Mental Health at the University of Minnesota. In addition to his research, he consults with several school and community systems throughout the US to improve practices and outcomes for students to meet the demands of civic, work, and home life.

Dr. Candace Burckhardt is a Special Education and English Learner Coordinator at Indigo Education, where she supports special education programs in over 70 charter schools in Minnesota. Candace recently finished a pilot research program on mindfulness-based interventions within special education programs in Minnesota. In 2016 she served as a Research Fellow with the Mind & Life European Summer Research Institute. You can learn more about Candace at www.candaceburckhardt.com or follow her on Twitter at @ateachingnomad.