Freedom Schools to have a Day of Action

On Wednesday, Nia Cultural Center will join more than 150 Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools sites in 87 cities and 27 states across the country for a National Day of Social Action.

The Nia Cultural Center college servant leaders who serve as mentors and teachers for the children enrolled will host a “teach-in” for community leaders, policymakers, advocates and parents about the looming federal budget cuts that pose a huge threat to education and great harm to children.

These cuts would come on top of the local and state cuts that have hurt the public school education programs that support our children.

At the “teach-in,” servant leaders and children will share stories and encourage all participants to write letters to their congressional lawmakers urging them to protect children from all federal budget cuts and invest in children to strengthen the nation’s economic future.

Nia Cultural Center provides the CDF Freedom Schools program summer and after-school enrichment that helps children fall in love with reading, increases their self-esteem and generates more positive attitudes toward learning.

Children are taught using a model Integrated Reading Curriculum that supports children and families around five essential components:

• High quality academic enrichment,

• Parent and family involvement,

• Civic engagement and social action,

• Intergenerational servant leadership development, and

• Nutrition and health and mental health.

The event will be held at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at Weis Middle School, 7100 Stewart Road, in Galveston.

Sue Johnson is executive director of the Nia Cultural Center in Galveston.

+++

My Story

Occasionally, The Daily News publishes My Story, a feature highlighting an individual and his or her story. To submit your story, email lifestyle(at)galvnews.com.