Science Skills Center High School
49 Flatbush Avenue Ext. Brooklyn, NY 11201
May 21 - 25, 2018
The 2nd Annual WOSPA™ (Week of Social & Political Action) was another huge success!
WOSPA™, aka Week of Social & Political Action is a healing and learning space executed through weekly workshops. Professionals and activists unite with school communities to encourage self-expression and increase social and political engagement.
“I opened up and actually shared in there! I don’t even share with my therapist.” –10th grade student
100% percent of students have anywhere from a casual to a deep interest in socially-relevant topics that are not taught or addressed with any regularity in “traditional” curriculum. When given the opportunity to participate in “fringe” topics, 50% of students at SSCHS forfeited a portion of their lunch period to attend workshops on such topics.
How many members of the school community participated? Both years saw a combined participation of nearly 500 students and sixteen staff members during the WOSPA™ activities.
“We need these sorts of activities regularly for the staff!” –Assistant Principal
Offerings & Activities
The week consisted of lunchtime workshops for students and staff to choose from, including:
Tribal Face Painting
Interviewing Skills
Anti-Violence
Fitness Mashup
Meditation
Power & Privilege
Creative Art: We Wear the Masks
Capoeira
Performance Poetry
Gender & Identity
Activist Art
HBCU panel
Kickboxing/Self-defense
Natural Hair Care
Creative Writing for Girls of Color
Teaching Professionals & Activities
Professionals and activists in the fields of education, business, health and wellness, creative arts, and social and racial justice joined forces to motivate and share resources with the community. The workshops, discussions and projects produced by the diverse group (from variety age groups, ethnicities and cultures) were powerful and inspiring.
The History
I never imagined that a U.S. election could cause (me and the nation) this much turmoil. Days, weeks and months of peak stress over polls, allegations, reports and scandals - coupled with news of unarmed Black citizens being killed callously by police, left me feeling more overwhelmed than I could physically and emotionally bear. I needed a release - something that would take my mind away from all of the negativity. At the same time, in my role as a Restorative Justice Coordinator I was compelled to do something that would be healing for my entire school community, even if they weren’t feeling (or acknowledging) as much trauma and pain as I was. My plan was to create a space for discussion, action, learning and self care that would unite the community members and hopefully even consume us to the point that we could take momentary breaks from worrying about the future of our country in the hands of leaders-to-be and instead spend precious energy figuring out what we can do with our own hands and minds to contribute to a productive, inclusive society. What I came up with was the Week of Social and Political Action, or WOSPA.
