People of Public Achievement

1
People of Public Achievement

• Public Achievement is public work. Like
  democracy, PA is the work of all citizens, and
  needs local involvement and talents of younger
  and older citizens to truly flourish.
• The people of PA are of all ages. They use their
  desires, insights and talents to address
  societys problems and build a stronger community
  for all of us.

2
A young person talking

• But when the government officials come to
  listen to us, they do most of the talking and
  dont let us speak enough. They should listen
  more and let us ask difficult questions.
• The State of the Worlds Children 2002 Unicef
  Publication

3
A young person talking

• Maybe they families want to listen and
  understand me, but they react so quickly to
  whatever I say that I decide to give up and next
  time not even start. So I tend to tell my
  problems to my friends, but they dont have the
  experience to guide me.
• The State of the Worlds Children 2002 Unicef
  Publication

4
A young person talking

• I like to live, and with all the problems in my
  life I look forward to another new year.
• The State of the Worlds Children 2002 Unicef
  Publication

5
A young person talking

• We want a world where there is no
  discrimination between boys and girls, between
  the able and the disabled, between the rich and
  the poor. We want a healthy, safe and clean
  environment suitable for all. And we want a
  decent education and opportunities for play,
  instead of having to work.
• The State of the Worlds Children 2002 Unicef
  Publication

6
A young teacher with PA experience

• I always knew I was included in the public,
  but the revolutionary idea for me was that I am
  expected to affect this public in a real and
  positive way. The public is in the hands of the
  public so what shall we do? (Bobbi Simpson)
• Listening to the Students Voices
• Michael Kuhne, 2001

7
A young person with PA experience

• I recall that in the beginning of the
  semester, Dennis Donovan asked me if I wanted the
  power. I said no, because I did not know what to
  do with it. However, now I want the power because
  I believe I have the ability to help others who
  want to make a difference. (Mona Abdel-Kerim)
• Listening to the Students Voices
• Michael Kuhne, 2001

8
A young teacher with PA experience

• In the past Ive never viewed power without
  negative connotations. Now I do. This seminar
  has opened my eyes to the fact that power can be
  a beautiful thing, that it needs to exist to make
  change in a community. (Michael Sonrode)
• Listening to the Students Voices
• Michael Kuhne, 2001

9
A young teacher with PA experience

• When we began discussing power earlier this
  semester there were a lot of negative
  associations with the concept of power. We
  discussed things like only people with power have
  money or have done slimy things to achieve power,
  but now if you asked anyone in the seminar class,
  we would have consistently positive things to
  say. Through our common interests and
  determination we have become quite a powerful
  group of people with a powerful vision and goal
  of bringing young people in our community
  together. (Danielle Peterson)
• Listening to the Students Voices
• Michael Kuhne, 2001

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A young teacher with PA experience

• It will be good for students to learn that
  there are many levels of power, and that while
  they may have little power on their own, if they
  can find others with the same interests, as a
  group they have much more power and can really
  affect changes in their world. (Lisa Staplin)
• Listening to the Students Voices
• Michael Kuhne, 2001

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A young teacher with PA experience

• I am excited to be a teacher and a coach who
  will be enthusiastic about young peoples power
  and who will help them to harness and use it to
  solve public problems. (Danielle Peterson)
• Listening to the Students Voices
• Michael Kuhne, 2001

12
A young teacher with PA experience

• As a woman who likes to complain a lot, I
  know now that I can change the things that I feel
  in my community are unjust. I have also given
  the children in my classroom the idea of this
  core concept, which lead them to ideas about how
  they could get a working computer in our
  classroom. The process was long, and it took
  away from the curriculum, which upset my boss
  until she saw the K-5 childrens letters with
  reasons about why they wanted a working computer
  in their classroom, as well as ideas of how they
  could get one. We now have a brand-new
  functioning Imac computer in our classroom.
  (Princess Titus)
• Listening to the Students Voices
• Michael Kuhne, 2001

13
A young teacher with PA experience

• Its like I know that I am free, but more
  than that I fully understand that no one can
  stand in my way or stop me once I am on a
  mission. Too long I have waited for others to
  right wrongs that I may see, but, through Public
  Achievement, I realize that I am free to act on
  the issue at my own will. . . I have the freedom
  to ask questions and expect them to be answered.
  (Bobbi Simpson)
• Listening to the Students Voices
• Michael Kuhne, 2001