Archive: 2017

Small Nudge

By Emily Spoden, Promise Fellow serving at Northfield High School A student who is usually uninspired to do homework came into our office this week during her study hall. She…

“Kids Changing Systems” YouthPower Recommendations on Transportation Issues

On October 19, the GradMinnesota Advisory Meeting was held at St. Paul Youth Services to hear the perspectives of youth on GradMinnesota’s priority recommendation - Make Transportation Accessible to All…

Fatima’s Journey to the Minnesota Youth Council

Hi, my name is Fatima Raye Menawa. I am a Junior at Stillwater Area High school in Minnesota, and a member of the Minnesota Youth Council. Before I joined the…

Youth Voice: The Difference Between Empowering Youth and Emboldening Them

By: Jacob Schimetz, Minnesota Youth Council Many young people today are aware of the tools that amplify our voice—social media being the most prominent—but most of us don’t see the point…

Illustrated Essay: Positive School Climate and Restorative Practices

A positive school environment that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive is critical for student success. Exclusionary discipline policies such as suspension and expulsions have been shown to contribute to long-term…

Youth testimonials on Exclusionary Discipline Policies: Bridging Experience and Data

Minnesota has huge disparities in the application of exclusionary disciplinary policies. Black youth are 7 times more likely to be suspended or expelled than white students. Native youth are 6.5…

What is a “Bilingual Seal?”

By: Emily Kay, GradMinnesota AmeriCorps VISTA How many languages do you speak, read, and write fluently?  In Minnesota, 8.3% of K-12 public school students are identified as English Language Learners. …

School-wide Restorative Culture: A Conversation with Alexis Goffe

Research has shown that when addressing conflict in school, exclusionary practices such as expulsions and suspensions are not effective in either improving student behavior or school climate (Skiba, Shure, Middelberg…

Creating Positive Spaces for Twin Cities Youth: The Wakanheza Project

By: Emily Kay, Minnesota Alliance With Youth AmeriCorps VISTA serving with GradMinnesota  Think back to when you were a teenager, around age 15 or 16...  What was life like for…

Recognizing the Excellent Work of Four GradNation Communities in Minnesota

In May of 2017, GradMinnesota offered stipends of $1000 to support community-specific programming and activities that aim to increase student engagement, success in school, high school graduation and postsecondary success…