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Students from Paterson, Newark and Jersey City brought their questions, their experience, and most of all their energy to an all-day Urban Youth Research Retreat held at St. Peter’s College on January 31. The retreat was part of a youth engagement project sponsored by the Schumann Fund for NJ to support youth participation in efforts to improve NJ’s urban secondary schools.

The teams of 6 to 8 students from each of the three districts were formed with the help of local community partners: the Abbott Leadership Institute and Project GRAD in Newark, the NJ Community Development Corporation in Paterson, and Henry Snyder High School and ASPIRA in Jersey City. St. Peter’s College, the Education Law Center and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York are also partners in the effort, which builds on a growing network of youth participatory action research projects.

The project was designed in response to proposals from the NJ Department of Education to significantly increase academic requirements for a NJ high school diploma and to raise the level of student preparation for college and careers. The student teams will examine the proposals and investigate their potential impact on their schools and districts. In addition to background and policy information, the students will receive training in research methods, information about college access, and opportunities to present their findings and recommendations to a variety of public audiences. Students who complete the program will also receive 3 college credits from St. Peter’s.

The day-long retreat was packed with activities, presentations and energetic dialogue. The issues were framed by examining school report card data about district resources and performance, background presentations on Abbott school funding and the proposed high school reforms, and cross-group dialogue about the issues and challenges involved in raising academic performance without negatively affecting graduation and dropout rates. "I learned a lot in the table top discussion with the rest of the group," said one Paterson student.

The students developed research questions and data inquiries they will work on between now and the next retreat scheduled for March 28. "The time flew by," said Kaleena Berryman of ALI. "The students really left feeling a part of something bigger than themselves. I could tell they were energized to get moving with this project."

Former Assembly Education Chair Craig Stanley spoke to the students at lunch about the importance of their active participation and potential leadership in forming public policy. Several speakers referenced the energy and hope generated by the Obama campaign and the urgent need for urban educational renewal.

Towards the end of the day, participants got another jolt at the sight of a huge aircraft being towed along Kennedy Blvd. right outside Dineen Hall where the retreat was being held. It was the fuselage of US Airways flight 1549 which had gone down in the Hudson River on Jan. 15 and was being towed from Jersey City to a storage site for further inspection. One more part of a memorable day.