CHICAGO—(ENEWSPF)—April 13, 2016. Chicago’s premier social justice school, Village Leadership Academy (VLA), will send 27 South and Westside youth, ages 8 to 14, to Cuba this summer from June 16th – 23rd, as part of their annual World Scholars Program (WSP). Recently featured on WBEZ for their CTA train takeover and civic engagement project that educated voters on the importance of the State’s Attorney race (#ByeAnita Campaign), VLA is not only at the forefront of transformative education in Chicago, but it has also been steadfastly positioning marginalized youth for global leadership over the past seven years through study abroad opportunities in Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Panama.
This year, Illinois State Senator Toi Hutchinson and State Representative La Shawn K. Ford will lead VLA’s youth delegation to Havana and Santiago de Cuba. The delegation will explore the unique history and culture of each region and engage with Cuban artists, entrepreneurs, educators, youth leaders, and rural residents to better understand the Republic of Cuba’s emerging relationship with the U.S. and how imperialism, globalization, and sustained resistance have shaped Cuban culture and life.
After previous WSP trips, our students have been inspired to work towards becoming U.S. Senators, principals of schools within their own communities, scientists who want to find alternative forms of energy, and founders of international corporations.
Due to the recent advancement in diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba, the Republic stands central to our understanding of globalization. Travel to Cuba provides unprecedented learning opportunities and cross-cultural exchange for VLA students, who are being shaped as global leaders of tomorrow, today.
Support VLA’s World Scholars Program Youth Delegation to Cuba by:
- Attending the WSP Gala on Friday, April 22nd, 7 pm at the Metropolitan Club, Willis Tower https://WorldScholarsProgram-Cuba2016.eventbrite.com
- Individual or corporate donation
- Sponsoring a youth delegate’s travel
For more information about the WSP Youth Delegation to Cuba, please contact Dayo Harris at 312-432-0096 or email at [email protected].
Source: www.vlacademy.org
