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"Today's teenagers are themselves responsible for some of the answers to . . . questions (about their future). They are not powerless in shaping their futures and in making wise decisions about the fateful choices before them. They choose what they eat, how they treat their bodies, what harmful habits and actions to reject, and they choose how to deal with others in forming friendships and making commitments. The choices they make now will play a key role in determining their future well-being, their strength of body and mind, and, in time, their success in building sound and lasting family ties and raising healthy children."
Fred Hechinger
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FATEFUL CHOICES: Healthy Youth for the 21st Century
Carnegie Corporation of New York
437 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022 (paperback $8)
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Write to Change (WTC) has sites in South Carolina and fifteen other states. WTC supports cooperative projects devoted to the task of creating a new vision of literacy linked to public service and healthy behaviors. Many special Write to Change projects focus on health and environmental issues that are of vital concern to young people and adults. The process of gathering information to inform or persuade others gives young people a chance to learn first hand about human health and health-promoting behavior. Fred Hechinger's book, Fateful Choices, shows that much can be done to prevent health and education casualties and is a valuable resource for teachers, parents, and community partnerships.
Writing for a Healthy Community projects take place in schools, where the students' research, writing, editing, and publishing is a key part of their academic work, as well as in after-school and summer programs. Literacy flourishes in classrooms and other settings that involve young people in studying issues that are vitally important to them and their peers. As students effectively and clearly communicate what they know to their targeted audience, these projects encourage a lifelong commitment to participating actively and critically in public discourse. Technical assistance, materials, and training are provided by WTC staff. Here are scenarios from three very different WTC sample projects.
Writing for a Healthy Community will offer a limited number of low-cost specialized workshops, residencies, or series of on-site visits to schools and other groups, adapted to local needs and schedules.
Return to the Write to Change Home Page !
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