Although high school graduation rates are at their highest level since 1974, there still remains a major gap between the amount of high school graduates in urban and suburban communities. Students living in inner city neighborhoods that are plagued by violence are forced to prioritize survival over education. In efforts to bring attention to this educational disparity ENACT, an organization designed to help New York City public school students learn social and emotional skills through the arts, will host SHOW UP! 2014 as part of their Dropout Prevention Program.
Many students are confronted with violence daily, whether it is on their way to or from school or on school grounds. All of these incidents contribute to the cycle of these teenagers dropping out and having limited opportunities in the long run. ENACT serves as an outlet for these students to voice their concerns and fears, and strives to find solutions to keep them on the right track. At SHOW UP! 2014, nearly 60 New York City public school students will take center stage alongside professional actors to share how ENACT’s workshops have had a positive influence in their lives.
The performance will serve as a display of what they’ve learned while being in the program. “We are very proud of our students’ progress in learning how to overcome very serious challenges,” ENACT Founder and President, Diana Feldman said in a statement. “Nothing is more inspiring to me than when I get to see how these children’s lives are transformed through ENACT’s work. We thank our partners in the City Council, the United Way, and the DOE for making these programs possible. We also thank our students and staff for their hard work and dedication.”
SHOW UP! 2014, will take place on Thursday, May 15, 2014 from 6:30 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. at the High School of Hospitality Management, 525 West 50th St. in Manhattan.
For more information visit www.enact.org.
