Okay, let's really prove the point: young people are doing it. Students really are changing schools, and schools really can change. Here's some links to student-led activist organizations. Look for yourself:

Philadelphia Students Union
Youth United for a Change
We Make the Road by Walking
Sistas and Brothas United
Power to the Youth!
Revolt Against Terrible Schools
Schools Not Jails
Portland Student Activist Alliance
Youth Together

What, you don't think adults care? Yeah, right. Check out these organizations promoting student-inclusive school change:

SoundOut to promote meaningful student involvement in school change
Youth Leadership and Service Team
Youth Today ~ Youth Tomorrow
Big Picture Company
Coalition for Essential Schools

What, you want research? You want publications?
Taking Democracy By Hand: Student-led Activism for School Change in the Bay Area
Authorizing Students' Perspectives: Toward Trust, Dialogue, and Change in Education
Meeting Kentucky's Educational Needs: Proficiency, Achievement Gaps, and the Potential of Student Involvement

Oh, wait, I know: you wanna see the picture globally? Try out:

Pupil Consultation Programme (UK)
Examples of Student Involvement in Canada
Student Voice.

You still don't believe that students care, do you? Take a look at these:

PBS's "In The Mix" focusing on student activism
A radio show out of Boston focusing on students' views about schools
What Kids Can Do, a national organization highlighting the work of young people to change the whole friggin world
A special project by PBS focusing on student-led school change
Project 540 - Students Turn for a Change

And that's not all. Matter of fact, its just a beginning. I'm just saying, we have to/had to go to school. School are screwed up. Why shouldn't young people be the ones to change them, especially when all the things adults are trying aren't working?

Go to SoundOut.org if you want more.

To get the word out I'm 'bombing' the globe with information about our project. Please feel free to cut, paste, and email this onto your friends.

The Freechild Project offers young people who are activists thousands of resources for social change FOR FREE. We are a small organization working out of the Pacific Northwest trying to get the word out about social change by and with young people.

I believe that the young people you work with as well as your readers would benefit from exposure to our website. Please consider sending this email through to YO!, and perhaps writing us up on your website. And feel free to contact me directly with any questions.
Adam - adam@freechild.org

a profile of
THE FREECHILD PROJECT

MISSION

The Freechild Project seeks to build active democracy by engaging young people in social change, particularly those who have been historically denied participation.

ONLINE PROGRAMS

Directory of Social Change By and With Young People
The Internet's most comprehensive listing of social change action by and with young people. Includes websites, organizations, and publications from around the world.

The Freechild Library
A collection of original and collected FREE publications about young people & social change.

Firestarter Youth Power Curriculum
Activities for facilitators and participants in social change work, including problem identification, action planning, teambuilding, and more.

Washington Youth Voice Directory
Highlights organizations in Washington state that promote youth voice, involvement, empowerment and engagement in schools and communities.

Survey of International Youth Involvement
An international collection of websites, organizations, and publications about youth on boards, as staff, in government, as grantmakers, and more.

Survey of North American Youth Rights
The SNAYR is the most comprehensive database of information on youth rights available today. It include organizations, publications, and personal websites from around the United States and Canada about the continuing struggle for the rights of young people rights in all its forms.

The Freechild Project Reading List
A collection of publications that promote the ideals of The Freechild Project. Categories include social action, education, youth rights, and more.

Freechild Publications

We offer a variety of publications on a large array of topics, with plans in the works for more. Here's a brief summary of our "best of":

So You Wanna Be a Playa? Guide to Cooperative Games for Social Change 30 pages.
Firestarter Youth Power Curriculum
Activities for facilitators and participants in social change work, including problem identification, action planning, teambuilding, and more.

Freechild Public Library Free publications for download or online viewing from around the world. Topics all focus on young people + social change, and cover a wide variety of topics within that.

Email me and let me know what you think. Thanks. adam@freechild.org

"If you can walk, you can dance. If you can talk you can sing."