Project for Pride in Living

Teenagers are the focus of two PPL Youth Development programs.

Students are putting peacemaking plans into action. They are exploring college campuses, learning about career opportunities, and gaining exposure to the variety of cultural amenities in the Twin Cities.

With the College, Career, and Culture Teen Program, middle and high school-age youth have taken bi-weekly field trips that have included a day trip to University of Minnesota, Duluth. Future plans include a campus tour and west African concert at Macalester College.

Cre8_Peace is a program led by a Peace Studies graduate. It employs a curriculum where participants look both within and at the world around them to better understand the nature of conflict, causes of violence, and conditions that lead to sustainable peace. They also learn about technology as a tool to carry their message.

The Cre8_Peace group is currently devising their own community service learning peacemaking project. They will prepare that plan for a presentation at the annual PeaceJam Youth Conference where youth spend a weekend with a Nobel Peace Laureate.

These programs approach kids with the expectation that they will go on to make a difference in the world, that they will go on to college, or other studies. It can seem like a simple tack, but often, low-income students are not guided from this point of view. Doing so can make a world of difference in the way they dream about and plan for their future.

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